Angel
by ksandqs
Summary: Ivan hadn't imagined, when Feliciano had invited him to the bar, that he would meet the most infuriating and enchanting being he had ever known. But when a carefully guarded secret comes out, Ivan will do whatever it takes to protect the last Angel. Rusame.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Hetalia doesn't belong to me, it belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya.  
Rated M for: language, violence/blood/slight gore later on, possibly character death and possibly sexual situations later on.**

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They had no idea. No one could have predicted the pure destruction those _savages_ would bring in the case that they wage war on each other. And savage was so inaccurate too, to describe them. Who called Angels savages, monsters, _devils_? They certainly didn't use to, but war has that effect on everyone, even holy beings apparently.

Civil War had erupted between two clashing forces in Heaven, and an all-out battle for power and control had begun. To most creatures of the supernatural and paranormal variety, Angels were the least violent of them. Maybe not to Demons, but they were a separate case, seeing as how they were naturally attracted to and repulsed by the divine creatures. All supernatural and paranormal creatures were attracted, to some degree, to the pure aura that Angels naturally emitted. 'Good' creatures were drawn to it to seek peace and warmth while 'Evil' creatures were drawn to it to corrupt it and make that power their own. It caused extreme animosity between the Angels and Demons, and in those conflicts was when the Angels let their true colors shine. But to the other creatures, Angels had always been calm, collected, wise, and when they did get violent, their attacks were swift and deadly accurate.

Demons were one of the only creatures—on a very short list—that could give an Angel a hard time in battle. Likewise for Demons, Angels proved the most capable at exorcising them.

As war waged and the Angels succeeded only in destroying Heaven, some Angels fled. Or at least they tried to flee. It seemed that both sides had equal numbers and power-wise both sides weren't gaining any ground. Most of the soldier Angels were men who had left their own families to slaughter someone else's. And nobody was spared from the slaughter, not parents, not children, not even babies. Each side wanted to destroy the other completely and make sure no Angel on the other side would seek revenge.

In a little house near the border of Heaven, a mother was trying hurriedly to pack supplies for her baby, hoping to take her little one and flee Heaven. Their house was so far out, she was desperately hoping that no enemy soldiers would think to look out there. She finished putting the supplies into an easily carried bag and secured it on her back between her fluttering wings, as her infant would be held in her arms. She would be flying faster than she had ever before, just wanting to leave this God forsaken place and she wanted to make sure her baby was safe.

As she was double checking if she had everything, she heard her baby start to fuss. Walking over to him, she took as much time as she dared to observe him and hush him as she could very well die or never see her son again. If she had to she would suppress his Angelic side and cast him down to Earth, where hopefully a nice family would find and care for him. If there was a winning side, no Angel should be able to sense him unless somehow his powers were released, but she doubted any Witch or Warlock would be able to undo an Angel's spell. His powers would, however, most likely revealing themselves to him, as her spell would weaken over time. She could also suppress her own powers, but because they were already developed so well it would be hard to hide it from other Angels. But she would have to get her and her son away safely first.

Reaching out, she gently rubbed her fingers through his soft hair, trying to calm him down. He stopped his fussing and blinked open his eyes. He stared at her for a moment before her little Angel smiled happily at having his mother's attention. She in turn smiled gently back at her son, wishing that he had a foreseeable future and that she could be sure she would be with him. She wanted nothing more to watch him grow up, but she would sacrifice herself if it meant that he would live.

She picked him up, cuddling him briefly before putting him in a sling and tying it around her torso. Taking a quick scan of the house, she nodded to herself, glanced down at her child, then peaked out of the house. Seeing no one around, she quietly exited into the cool night air and silently walked around the house, keeping her eyes and ears alert to any movement or sound. She could feel her heart beating throughout her entire body, betraying her calm exterior and showing how much anxiety this attempt brought her. Her little one had fallen asleep a bit after she had secured him in, and she wished she could be that relaxed for once in what seemed like forever.

Finally reaching the border separating Heaven from the Human Realm, she thought maybe this would be easier, maybe they weren't that concerned with _every last Angel_, surely the ones fleeing proved no threat, right?

She sincerely hoped so.

She stretched out her white wings, getting ready to take off while psyching herself up. She had to do it and she had to do it now. _Come on,_ she thought to herself, _for him._ Stealing a glance down at her son's peaceful, sleeping face, she extended her wings out and shot into the sky, flying straight up to gain momentum for her flight downwards. She reached a peak and dove down, holding her arms across her son to protect him from some of the high speed wind. She soared past the edge of the border and started to descend onto Earth. Then the worst thing possible happened.

She heard shouts.

She had a few seconds to turn her head and process what she was seeing in the dark before her eyes widened and she tried accelerating her speed, hoping to out-fly the Angels pursuing her. There were only two of them, but she knew she was out-matched. She may have been powerful, but she had her baby to worry about. They couldn't know about her child or they would certainly kill him if they succeeded in disposing of her first. She hoped they didn't spot him and fully intended to use the darkness of the night to her advantage.

The Angels caught up to her quickly, much to her dismay, and started trying to bring her down. They weren't going to capture her; she was running and they had orders to kill all Angels who fled to Earth this way, as they were on the 'enemy's' side, having killed the patrol guards some time ago. She was quick but seemed to be burdened with something which made her movements slower. Instead of planned out attacks and cooperating with each other, both of the Angels started attacking her at their own will, one using his magic and the other using a slender sword that sent out pulses of energy when he swung it.

Trying to dodge the attacks and protect her son was proving difficult; her tunic was already ripped in places and stained red at the edges. She was more focused on her son's safety than her own, but this proved to be fatal for her.

A magic burst hit one of her wings, stunning it and momentarily paralyzing the muscles there. She wobbled in mid-air, practically free-falling towards the now visible Earth. She used her other wing to stabilize herself as best she could, already starting to feel the paralyzed wing again. She cradled her son very close to her, as she was thinking of weaving through the trees to lose the two Angels following her.

As she was half distracted by thoughts of possible escape routes, the two pursuing Angels continued to try and knock her down. They knew that if she fell now, she would crash hard enough to seriously injure, if not kill herself. Slowing down, the two finally combined their attacks, the magic Angel lending his power to the sword-wielding Angel. He came to a halt, raised his sword up and with a mighty downward swing released all the energy in the blade. A huge slash of energy rocketed towards the escaping Angel, and because she was distracted, hit her directly between the shoulder blades and down her spine.

She saw the blow before she felt it, then she felt nothing. Her whole body had been paralyzed. The tree line was rapidly approaching, and going on instinct, she turned over so her back was facing the ground. _If he survives I will die knowing he is safe._

Tears were in her eyes as she looked down at her son. He had always been a heavy sleeper, and she remembered times where he had been nearly impossible to wake up. It seems that even a sky battle couldn't rouse him from his slumber. Unfortunately, she was sure the impact would.

She put up two shields seconds away from hitting the ground, one on her back and a stronger one around her son. She didn't want to use too much magic; that was part of the reason she hadn't fought back. Since she knew she wouldn't be able to live with her son, she would instead suppress his powers. She pictured her son's smiling face as she made contact with the ground.

The two Angels who had attacked her watched from above, satisfied that an enemy had been killed. Unaware of the baby Angel she had been holding, they left without bothering to check is she was dead. If she wasn't, she would be soon.

The impact had hurt immensely, and if she were any other creature she would probably be dead. As it was she was teetering on the edge of consciousness. She lay in a crater created by the impact, and she was pretty sure one of her legs was broken, as well as some of her ribs and both her shoulder blades. Despite healing quicker than most creatures, her body had taken a huge hit, and was still partially paralyzed from the attack before. She would be too far gone before her body started repairing itself. Luckily her shield had protected her son.

The impact had indeed awoken him, and he was crying and wiggling in her arms. It hurt, but she pushed the pain to the back of her mind and tried to calm her son down. She removed the shield and positioned him on his stomach on top of her, so she could see him and he could easily see her as well. She felt herself growing weaker and decided to get the suppression over with.

She gathered her very essence into her hands and looked once more to her baby, her precious little boy. Cooing softly, she used some of her magic to force him into sleeping, partially because this would hurt somewhat and partially because she didn't want her baby in pain to be the last thing she saw.

She murmured the spell under her breath, the energy in her hands starting to glow brighter. She said the last word and placed her hand directly on her baby's little wings, pressing them down and into his back. The wings glowed pure white, as did the surrounding area on his back. Slowly the wings receded into his back, until the skin was smooth and unmarred.

She paused briefly, breathing heavily with sweat forming along her body. Her heart was pumping strongly and she could feel each beat in her injuries. Now that the wings were taken care of, she turned him onto his back and focused her energy into his body, placing her hand directly above his heart. He squirmed in discomfort for a few moments before he stilled, his mother doing her best to perform the spell as quickly as possible without messing up.

Finally she felt the magic fade from her hands, the glowing dying down before fading completely. She relaxed, staring at her son as he shifted slightly. She knew that if she faded away right then, he would wake up alone, confused, and terribly scared. With determination in her eyes, she did the only thing she felt she could: she gathered the last of her magic and teleported him to the nearest source of 'good' she sensed.

With the image of her son in her head and a small smile on her face, she let her mind go as her body disintegrated on the spot.

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**A/N-**

**Should the next chapter be from Alfred's POV, Ivan's POV, or the 'person who found the baby's POV? Alfred and Ivan would obviously be from the present of the story, the other person would be right after this chapter. If no one cares it will be from Ivan's POV.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Keep in mind that the last chapter and this chapter take place hundreds of years before the 'present' time of the story. Somebody said this is the POV they wanted to see and honestly I wanted to go this direction first so here ya go.**

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The sound was the first sign that something was wrong. In a normally peaceful forest, the sound was loud, almost amplified, traveling through the trees and alerting nearby creatures. She was outside when she heard it, tending to a small flower patch she had brought back to life when she moved to the little cottage in the forest. The sound alerted her, but the divine presence she sensed was what intrigued her.

Why was there an Angel in the Human Realm? Considering the war in Heaven, she was sure all Angels were prohibited from leaving. She hoped the Angel was okay, and wondered why the presence had arrived with the loud crash.

As a Demon, Katyusha was not supposed to care about the well-being of an Angel. But she was different, and it was obvious in the way she presented herself. Whereas Demons were normally vicious and clever and cruel beyond reason, she was calm, collected, and valued all life. She had always been that way, and other Demons had even suspected that she was not a Demon at all but some kind of other powerful being entirely.

She knew however that they just feared her. It was not every millennium that the Demon King sired a daughter.

An increase of the angelic energy in the air brought her out of her thoughts. She stood from where she had been on her knees, pulling weeds around the flowers. She looked to the direction the presence was radiating from and took a hesitant step towards it.

She wasn't..._afraid_, per say, of confronting an Angel. Angels were smart beings; they could discern if a Demon meant no harm to them. After all, Demons like her were rare, but they existed. The problem was that she had no idea how the war in Heaven would be affecting it. Would it be angry and vengeful, or would it be desperate for help? The only way to know was to see for herself.

She started walking, and having lived in the forest for many years she was not concerned about getting lost. She could just fly there, but something was off about the presence. It seemed hurt, in a way, and wasn't moving, just growing in intensity.

The intensity suddenly hit a peak, then died down to an almost non-existent level. Katyusha paused before starting to walk towards the previous source of the presence, only quicker now. She finally came upon a crater, and witnessed the aftermath of a very rare sight: the death of an Angel. Glowing, pure white feathers were floating around the crater, tossed by the wind in all directions. In the center of the crater, where presumably an Angel had crashed to Earth, there was a flower bed. Bright flowers of all colors and varieties had sprung up upon the death of the Angel. They were very lovely to behold, and Katyusha felt sorry for the Angel who had died.

She said nothing and did nothing but mourn for the loss of such a heavenly life. This was perhaps the one thing shared between Angels and Demons: their deaths were beautiful.

She started walking back when she picked up on a second presence, this one just barely detectable. It was coming from the direction of her cottage. Curious as to what it could be, she walked until she came upon her home. Nothing seemed out of place, and the presence was all but gone now. She was still cautious though. She was walking back to the flower patch she had been tending to when she saw it. There, sitting on her doorstep, was a bundle of cloth. It had certainly not been there when she had left. It was not moving and seemed completely harmless. As she approached it, she sensed a residue of the Angel who had died. Was this something the Angel had been carrying when it crashed? What was so important tha—

"Oh my," she gasped and her eyes widened as she saw it was a baby.

Was it an Angel? As it apparently came from the now dead Angel, she guessed so. This was a never before seen being. A baby Angel was guarded fiercely by its parents. Baby Angels were never allowed out of Heaven. Only trained adult Angels were granted free access in and out of Heaven. This was only speculation of course, as the only Angels seen by other creatures had been adults and already knowledgeable about life and the many beings walking the realms.

The baby was asleep at the moment, very peaceful and, well, holy looking. From what she smelled it was a boy, and he had light blond hair that was very soft against her skin when she cradled his head. As she observed the sleeping Angel, she wondered why the parent had sent him to her. Was it because she was the only other being around? Did the Angel even know she was a Demon?

_Yes,_ she thought, _of course the Angel knew. No Angel would send their child to an enemy. They _might_ not have known I am a Demon, but they know I can do no harm to such an innocent life._

She walked into her little home and tried to find a place to set the baby down. She needed little sleep as a Demon, so there weren't really any extra blankets around. And since she didn't have a baby of her own, there were no baby supplies around.

_Well shoot_, she thought, as she sat at the dinning table,_ how am I supposed to care for you?_ As she thought this, she looked down at the baby. He really was so adorable, with his smooth baby-soft skin and his light blond hair. She wondered how old he was. Then she wondered what he ate. How she hoped he was past the breast-feeding stage. There was no telling what a Demon's milk would do to a baby Angel, but she had to feed him somehow. Maybe she could go to the nearby town and ask the nice mothers there for advice.

The baby started to fuss in her arms and she looked down, gently running her hands along his back.

"_Hush little one,"_ she whispered in the language of the land, "_please, be calm."_ The baby Angel fidgeted a little more before he blinked open his eyes. They were a dazzling blue color, like the sky on a bright, warm day. This would be a perfect time to see what he ate.

She stood up and walked towards her food storage box, pulling out some bread. She then went outside, to her garden, where she picked tangy red berries she liked. She went back inside and grabbed a rag she had made to dry her hands off, then sat back down at the table. She placed the rag on the table followed by the berries and bread. She situated him on her lap so that he was sitting sideways on her lap. He seemed to be enjoying himself as he looked around the room and looked up at her. She picked the bread up and tore off a tiny piece, then offered it to him. It took him a little bit to focus on the offering, but he smiled and grabbed it.

He then brought it up to his mouth and started sucking and chewing it. Katyusha let out a relieved sigh. She felt better now that she knew he could eat food, but she would still need milk for him. When he finished the bread and looked towards the table, she handed him a small berry. He grabbed that too and stuffed it in his mouth. A small smile appeared on his face, and Katyusha smiled as well, happy that he could eat fruit and bread, at least. He stopped chewing to look at her face, studying it before his smile widened and he let out little giggles. It was so adorable that Katyusha had to let out a laugh herself and cuddle the little Angel, who giggled some more and clung to her shirt.

After having not experienced something like this since her childhood in Hell with her mother centuries ago, she welcomed the warmth the baby radiated. He was so bright and so expressive for a baby, she could feel herself becoming attached. But, there was one thing she couldn't figure out.

"_What do I call you, little one?"_ She voiced out loud, catching the baby's attention. He stared at her and she used her fingers to distract him.

Should she even name him? She didn't want to become too attached, for surely there were better suited people for this, right? If she had to give him up, not naming him would make it easier.

He yawned suddenly, and she agreed that it was getting late now. She left the berries on the table but put the bread back in the storage box, then went to her bed roll. It was cold in the forest at night, and since she had nowhere else to put him, the baby would have to sleep in her embrace. She laid down and set the baby next to her, his eyes already drooping. She wrapped them in blankets then brought him close to her heart, not enough to make him feel uncomfortable, but enough to make him feel secure. He fell asleep quickly and she followed close behind, wondering how she of all creatures could have been so blessed.

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Years passed, yet time seemed to stand still around this little cottage. Neither the baby nor the Demon had visibly aged, and the surrounding environment had changed little as well. Katyusha became very good at caring for her little Angel. He was big enough that he could sit up by himself and convey what he wanted, and Katyusha would bring him outside while she tended to her flower bed and garden. She would sing to him and play with him and laugh when he laughed, and every night he would curl up in her arms and sleep peacefully.

Katyusha was very happy during the passing years, but she knew that he needed more. He needed to be around people and not have a Demon's presence influence him. So it was with a heavy heart that she decided to have a wise mage care for him. The mage, as she understood, had a knack for attracting young strays to him. He would take them in and if they exhibited the potential for magic, he would bring them to the realm between the human's and the Demon's, where all magical creatures are born, and teach them the art. He was hard to like at times, but had a soft spot for children.

He would be passing through the town nearby, like he did every decade or so, on his trip across the vast land they inhabited. She would leave the baby in an easily visible spot and write a note to him. She didn't want to let the little Angel go but she felt she had no choice. As much as she wanted to be with him forever, she knew what was best for him.

She set everything up and finally the time came. She could see him in the distance, so she held the baby close for the last time and kissed his forehead. She had tears in her eyes as she set him down in a basket she had weaved just for this occasion. Katyusha set the note next to him in the basket and took one last look before turning away and disappearing into the forest.

* * *

He was feeling very good as he walked along the path to the next town. Helping people calmed him and brought him happiness. Since he was in the Human Realm, he couldn't outright perform spells or use his staff, which posed as his walking stick. Humans were incredibly dull when it came to the supernatural, yet some young kids he encountered had the gift of wielding magic.

For some reason, young kids liked to bother him and give him a hard time. These children would often find him first, drawn to him by a force they did not understand or know of. Despite the trouble these orphans caused for him, he still ended up taking them in. It was a weakness of his, and if he were ever to be married he knew he would drive his spouse mad with his desire for many children.

He hadn't had any kids come to him in a few years though, so he was taking a little break. Raising large numbers of children was not easy. A smile crossed his face as he thought of all the orphans he had helped.

A gurgle sounded, and he paused, turning his head from the field he had been staring at to the left. A baby in a basket stared back.

He looked around for a parent, but found no one. Cautiously he approached the baby, like it was suddenly going to attack him. He had seen some crazy things.

The baby was very cute, he had to admit. There was a note by the baby, and on its surface was his name.

"Well, that's odd," he murmured. He bent to one knee and picked up the note, observing his name then turning it around.

_Please, care for this baby boy.  
__I feel as though I am not suited to care for such a creature as this.  
__It would be better if he was brought up around light.  
__Given the tragic events in Heaven a few years ago, I fear the worst.  
__Destroy this letter after you are finished reading it, as my next words are potentially very dangerous to the little baby.  
__This is possibly the last Angel in existence.  
__Keep this information to yourself and protect him with your life.  
__I know you will do great, Arthur.  
__If you don't know where to start, he doesn't have a name._

Arthur named the baby Alfred.

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**A/N-**

**The language Katyusha speaks is Proto-Slavic, the language spoken before it was broken up into South, East, and West Slavic. The area Katyusha is living in would be present day Ukraine.**


	3. Chapter 3

Books had always managed to make Ivan feel calm. There was something about getting lost in a good adventure or mystery that really appealed to him. He also found that these books had a way of quelling a constant feeling of anxiety in him. Picking up books and feeling their covers, feeling their pages slip between his fingers, having a solid weight in his hands to ground him, all these things were great for him.

That is why, when he moved to this little town, he became the librarian. If he loved books so much, then the perfect job would be to work at a library, right? While it was not the most interesting job in the world, it had ended up helping him greatly.

Having come to America from Ukraine decades ago, he had wandered from town to town, searching for something to give his immortal life meaning. Eventually he had come across the town he was in now, and for some reason, this town had more supernatural creatures and beings than any other town. That certainly made him feel more comfortable, as the company of other beings like him made him feel more at home.

Yet he hadn't arrived with any friends when he came to America, and he had not made friends along his travels. He had helped people, just like his dear older sister had taught him, but they did not mean anything him. This is perhaps why being the librarian had helped him so much. There weren't many regulars to the library, but he had become acquainted with the ones who came every week and now he looked forward to there visits.

There was a German man named Ludwig who would often reserve a book until he could come by and pick it up. Ludwig worked at the town's public pool with his roommate Feliciano and Feliciano's brother, Lovino. Ludwig also had an older brother, Gilbert, who worked at the bowling alley with his friend Antonio. When Ludwig would stop by, looking very tired and annoyed, Ivan would ask him how his day was going and Ludwig would tell of all the shenanigans Feliciano and Gilbert got into, how Feliciano would be 'too friendly' with him, as Lovino put it, and cause said brother to yell at him, then Feliciano, then him again. Gilbert also seemed to like spending more time at his brother's place than his own.

Ivan rather liked talking with Ludwig, he found they were similar in many ways. Another regular he enjoyed speaking to was a young man named Matthew.

Matthew was a quiet boy, and very smart. He had lived in the town before Ivan had arrived, and had made friends with him when Ivan started working at the library, back when the old librarian still worked there. As Ivan understood, Matthew had a biological father, an adoptive father, and an adoptive younger brother. When Matthew told him that Arthur Kirkland was his adoptive father, Ivan had not visibly reacted, but on the inside he was very surprised. This is where the mage had disappeared too? A powerful magic wielder had settled down in America, in the middle of nowhere, with a small family? It was a hard picture for Ivan to imagine when compared to the stories about him. He had since met Arthur, and found him to be very much like his sister had described: hard to like.

Arthur, as Matthew had told him, worked at the same restaurant his husband worked at. Doing what though he did not know, as Matthew had made it very clear that Arthur could not cook very well. Francis, Matthew's actually father and Arthur's husband, was the owner of the restaurant and the main chef. He was very nice and charming, and would sometimes bring baked goods he had made in his free time to the library. He was pleasant enough company, and would occasionally check out some books.

Matthew worked at the local elementary school, teaching first graders. He often complained that his brother would interrupt his classes with random visits, usually bringing candy or another type of sweet for the children.

Matthew's brother, Alfred, worked as the bartender at night to the only bar in town. Matthew had described him as bright and sociable, so he supposed the job fit him. Alfred thrived in social situations, and there really was no better atmosphere for such a person than a place were people went to loosen up, both tension-wise and subsequently tongue-wise. All Matthew had told him about it was that people said and did some pretty crazy things when they were drunk. Ivan agreed.

As much as he enjoyed speaking with both Ludwig and Matthew, there was one difference between them that made discussing life with one easier than the other. Ludwig was human and Matthew was not.

Before Francis and Matthew moved to America, before they had met Arthur and Alfred, they had lived as humans in France. Francis had been blessed with a son, his only one, but at the cost of his wife. As time moved forward, so to did he, until the passing of his love did not cause him to ache or cry. He had moved on and grown stronger, caring for Matthew and living his life. But he and Matthew had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and had been attacked by a wolf. Only, surprise, it wasn't just a wolf. It had been a werewolf and it had infected both of them. With their aging slowed to a snail's pace, after several years they were forced to leave their home.

It was hard adjusting to being something other than human. Matthew had described his feelings and the troubles he and Francis had after becoming such unstable beasts. But they had learned to control themselves, Francis more than Matthew. Now knowing that supernatural beings and magic existed, they could sense all the creatures they had been ignorant to. Humans had a distinct scent, so it was easy to tell if someone was or was not human. Other lesser creatures, like elves, half-breeds, dwarfs and the like had the same basic smell with little unique scents mixed in. Elves and dwarfs both smelled of earth, but an elf's scent would be accompanied with the smell of forestry while a dwarf's scent would be mixed with fire and ash. Francis and Matthew had learned which scents were friendly and which were not.

Matthew had been nervous when doing so, but he had told Ivan that he didn't smell human, but he had never smelled another like Ivan. Ivan had told him he was very lucky to not have, and when Matthew inquired what he was, Ivan had told him that he was a Demon.

In reality, Ivan was only a half-Demon. His mother had been the Demon, and she had seduced a human male into giving her a child. His mother had been particularly vicious for a Demon, and had raised Ivan like he was a full-blooded Demon. But he was not, and could never be, and therefore lacked the killing drive Demons needed to survive in Hell. Yet his mother had not killed him, or let anyone else kill him. Instead she simply left him one day in the Human Realm, telling him that she had done all she could in raising him, then returned to Hell.

Ivan had not known what to do with his life; did he hunt and kill humans like his brethren did? Or did he try and live alongside them? He was very young for a Demon, and for a human he figured looked like a young adult, so what was he to do? Not knowing the answer, he had instead chosen to travel across the lands and observe these weak beings called humans. But he was half human, and he had to come to terms with that. He also learned that humans were surprisingly resilient when the time called for it.

He had eventually been saved, by a nice older Demon and a young, violent vampire.

This was all information he kept to himself and when asked what he was he would say Demon, because one, he didn't want to have to explain about his human side and two, it was better to be feared than a curiosity. Besides, his human scent was completely smothered by his demonic one.

Matthew had been wary at first, but remarked that Ivan was not like any stories he had heard about Demons. Ivan had agreed and said not only was he a lot nicer than other Demons but Demons were worse than those stories made them out to be. Matthew agreed that he was lucky indeed not to have encountered one yet.

* * *

Ivan tapped his fingers against the counter as he watched the clock tick towards the end of the day. He liked books, he really did, but sometimes he wanted to just go home and watch television with his cat. Not the most exciting life but Ivan was a simple guy.

Only thirty more minutes before he could close the library and head home. Ivan wished he could be sure that no one would stop by. But he had had some late customers so he was forced to wait until closing.

Just when he thought he might die of boredom and actually entertained the thought of rearranging the bookshelves _again_, the door opened and a young man walked in. He had light brown hair and amber eyes, and was smiling widely as he skipped up to the counter. Ivan smiled but mentally prepared himself. Conversations with this man were fast and difficult to follow at times. He also liked to go on tangents. Ivan did not know how Ludwig lived with this. "Hello Feliciano, here to check out another book on pasta?" The obsession Feliciano and his brother had on pasta was cute in a way, but at the same time their knowledge on all things pasta bordered supernatural.

"Not today, Ivan, me and Lovino are still reading the last one. This one includes a lot of recipes with tomatoes so _fratello_ has been writing them down, he really likes tomatoes you know? I like them too but I don't really care for them as much as the pasta itself."

"Well I'm glad you two are enjoying the book. Is there another reason you are here if you are not checking out a book?" Ivan knew he had to be straight to the point when speaking to Feliciano or he would continue talking about the same subject, which was usually either pasta, his brother, or Ludwig, and Ivan really didn't want to hear that much about any of those topics, at least coming from Feliciano.

"Ah _s__ì,_ Ludwig was going to ask you something earlier but there was a problem at the pool. He asked Lovino to come over and tell you but Lovino said he wouldn't do anything for Ludwig, then said some very mean things in Italian to him, so I went over and hugged Ludwig but that only made Lovino angrier at Ludwig and he started yelling some more, but his yelling scared a kid near the shallow end of the pool who slipped and hit his head on the ground. So Ludwig asked me to ask you what he was going to ask you earlier while he tended to the hurt kid and tried to calm Lovino down, but I don't think it was working because when I was leaving I heard—" Ivan cut Feliciano off.

"Feliciano, please, what was Ludwig going to ask me?" This is exactly why it was frustrating speaking with Feliciano.

"Oh, sorry Ivan! Ludwig said I had a problem of going off on, um...uh, well I don't remember what he called them but he said I needed—" "Feliciano." "Right right, sorry! He wanted me to ask you if you wanted to come with us to the bar tonight. Everyone will be there and we wanted to know if you would join us. I thought it was a great idea but—" Ivan tuned Feliciano out as he thought about his offer. By everyone Ivan assumed he meant himself, Lovino, Ludwig, Antonio, and Gilbert, who would probably invite Francis, who would most likely drag Arthur with him. Matthew would probably join them as well. With Arthur and his inability to hold his liquor, and Gilbert, Antonio, and Francis in one place, the night may prove entertaining yet. He cut Feliciano off again.

"Yes, I think I will take you up on that offer," Ivan said and Feliciano beamed, practically vibrating where he stood. "Great! I'll go tell Ludwig and Lovino, see you later Ivan!" And then Feliciano was gone. Ivan sighed, looking over at the clock. He still had a few minutes before closing but he figured no one else would come by. He grabbed his bag and turned off the lamp on the counter. He shut down the main computer and shut down the various computers around the library. He then walked to the door and shut off the lights, exiting and locking the door behind him.

The pool closed at six, and it was only five now, so he figured it wouldn't hurt to head home, change, then get a head start on the drinking. He remembered Matthew telling him that his brother—Alfred if he recalled correctly—worked as the bartender, but every time Ivan had gone there he was served by a nice Dutch girl named Bella. He wondered if Alfred would be working there tonight.


	4. Chapter 4

**I have updated the warning to include blood and slight gore, character death as well, although to be honest I didn't expect writing any blood/gore/violence/character death in the fourth chapter, but this idea hit me out of nowhere and as a bonus, the first part plays a role later on.**

* * *

_The ground was hard against his bare feet as he ran. Small rocks dug into the soles of his feet and every time he touched his foot to the ground a stinging pain was felt. But still, he ran._

_He ran desperately, the shadows creeping up behind him. He turned a corner quickly, slipping a bit but using his hand to brace himself against a crumbling wall. He had to get away, he couldn't let the shadows consume him._

_The ruins he was in were poorly lit with aged torches that burned blue hung on the walls, at least the ones still standing. Away from the safety of the lights was pure darkness, all-encompassing and terrifying. The shadows were hesitant to enter the light, but they would if it meant the capture of their prize._

_He did not know how he had arrived their, nor did he know why the shadows wanted him. All he felt when he gazed at the darkness was repulsion and fear. Mind-crippling fear that made it hard for him to control his breathing and watch where he was going at the same time._

_A shadowy hand reached out behind him and tugged on his tunic, trying to trip him, but he jerked and the hand only succeeded in ripping the bottom of it._

_He cried out in fear and swiped at the hand with the torch he was carrying, making the shadows retreat to a safer distance, which to his growing horror was not as far back as it used to be. The torch was dimming, and soon it would be extinguished. He could feel his heart beating erratically in his chest, the blood rushing through his head the only sound he heard. Something had to give; he could not outrun the shadows forever._

_A bridge appeared before him and, not even thinking twice about the condition of it, he ran across, jumping over a break in the bridge near the other side. He stumbled though, and gasped, hitting the ground hard and knocking the wind out of him. He lay there until he could control his breathing, then he noticed something._

_The shadows had not touched him in his moment of vulnerability._

_He looked at the bridge and saw the shadows stopped by the break. It appeared they could not cross it. He let out a slightly hysterical laugh at that and thanked whatever God was listening that he was alive and okay._

_He stood up slowly, panting from the exertion of having to run so hard for however long he had been chased. He turned away from the shadows and took in his surroundings. He was at the entrance to a ruined temple which was built into the side of a mountain, the main structure still standing but the pillars around it had fallen long ago. There were dark stains leading up to the temple, appearing on the ground, on the pillars, on the stairs, everywhere he looked. He did not want to think of what those stains were._

_He started walking towards the temple, hesitant but curious. He expected something to happen when he crossed the threshold, but everything was calm and nothing moved. The inside was lit better than the outside, and made him feel safer, even when he knew the darkness had probably snuffed out the torches and surrounded the temple. He didn't dwell on that but moved forward. There were three archways waiting before him, but the left one and the right one were blocked by fallen debris from the roof and nearby statues. The center path was conveniently undisturbed._

_He proceeded through the arch and into a wide hallway. There were decorations on the walls, weapons and tablets with strange writing on them. His breathing had returned to normal, but the atmosphere was so tense that he found himself holding it, straining to hear any sound at all. He passed by a reflective shield and tried to make out his appearance through the layer of grime. His hair was disheveled and he had smears under his eyes. His tunic, its origins and how he ended up wearing it unknown to him, was torn at the bottom and caked with dust._

_He turned away from the shield and walked on. The hallway seemed to dim as he continued forward, then brightened again as he came upon a dome shaped room. As soon as the entire room came into view, he gasped, eyes going wide in disbelief and hands clamping over his mouth. There were bodies strewn about the room, the walls splattered red and puddles under them. He tried backing out of the room, but a door blocked the way. Having nowhere to go, he slowly made his way across the room. It was hard looking away from the terrible sight of mangled flesh and shiny bone. There were seven bodies in total, four on his right side and three on his left._

_The bodies were in various levels of decay, and it was hard to make out any defining features, although the sizes of each body struck him as familiar. He had a feeling he knew these people. Finally he walked out of the room and into another hallway._

_He liked this hallway immensely less than the previous hallway._

_The walls were coated in a thick, black sludge. It covered everything in sight, blocking the objects underneath it from view and making him feel uneasy. He rubbed his arms to try and warm himself up, and noticed a coldness on his arm from his left hand. He observed his hand and found a ring on his left ring finger. It had a slim silver band with black gems surrounding a small diamond, in the shape of a square._

_Had...had this ring always been on his hand? Thinking back he decided, yes; he remembered feeling it when he put his hands to his mouth in reaction to the previous room. He looked at the ring some more, almost transfixed by it, until his attention was diverted to a second domed room. He paused outside it, not knowing what to expect because of the first room and dreading what could be awaiting him. Taking a deep breath, he figured the only way out of the temple now was to go forward, so he stepped into the room._

_And nearly emptied his stomach on the floor at what he saw._

_This room was worse, so _so much _worse than the first one because in this one he could make out the identies of the three bodies._

_Tears gathered quickly and fell down his cheeks, but he did nothing to wipe them away. All three of his family members had been pierced through the head, the rest of their bodies untouched. He stood there, looking at his worst fear before he looked down at the floor and walked quietly out of the room._

_He wiped away the tears now, numb as he walked the dark path to his next destination. What could possibly be worse than his dead family?_

_He walked into a room with two archways, but like in the entrance to the temple, the right one was blocked. More black sludge oozed from the ceiling and crept down the walls, pooling on the floor and offering a glimpse into absolute darkness, as the puddles reflected nothing._

_He walked through the left archway and followed the narrow black hallway as it curved. The wall on his right cut away suddenly, revealing a dark chasm. On the other side of the gap there was a hallway mirrored to the one he was in, and standing in the middle of the other hallway, facing him, was a man. He was alive, but looked very tired and defeated. His hair was a dark, dirty shade of gray, and his clothes were ripped and stained in many places. The only thing lively about him was his eyes._

_As he walked across the hallway, the man's glowing violet eyes followed him._

_He continued along the path as the wall to his right started again. It curved the opposite direction it had curved in the beginning, leading to a doorway that was next to another one, presumably leading to the hallway where the strange man had been standing in. It too was blocked._

_There was only blackness now, but he moved forward, almost on instinct. He walked listlessly through the darkness, eyes focused on nothing as there was nothing to focus on. The darkness was absolute._

_He knew, somehow, that the room he was nearing would be the last. He did not know if the exit was beyond the room or if his death was, all he knew was that he was at the end of his little journey._

_The room was black, like everything else in his world, but he had a feeling it was vast. There was a thrown in the center, bones acting like stone and creating stairs and a platform for the mighty chair to sit atop. There wasn't anyone on it though, but he knew there used to be, before he entered the room. And he knew where they were._

_He didn't move, didn't even try to avoid what was coming. He didn't make a sound as a hand pierced his back and exited through his chest, his black heart clutched in its fist. He didn't react when black sludge, so much like the substance on the walls, oozed out of his body. He didn't react when his voice growled, "You're _mine_," in his ear and the ring on the fist's ring finger, the very same one on his own finger, glinted in a nonexistent light._

* * *

Alfred woke up crying and shaking.

He lay in his bed, sheets drenched with sweat, staring up at the ceiling while tears streaked unabashedly down his temples and soaked his pillow. He shook and cried for a little bit before he calmed down somewhat.

That dream, that _nightmare_, had been plaguing his sleep for months. He would not have it every night, and for that he was thankful, but he had it enough to never forget it. Despite Arthur's attempts to concoct a potion to give him a dreamless sleep, the nightmare persisted.

Nothing his family could do would help him, even with all the supernatural knowledge they had. He had never told them what exactly happened in his nightmare, only that it was bad. Matthew had affirmed that it seemed to truly trouble Alfred, as he had stayed up one night to watch Alfred. He had seen Alfred toss and turn, cry out and gasp. When the tears had started up, Matthew could watch no more, but discovered that whatever was unleashing this nightmare on Alfred would not let him wake from it until it had run its course.

No amount of shaking and slapping could wake Alfred once he was pulled into the dream. He had tried to get Alfred to talk to him about it, but he wouldn't say, only smile and tell him, all of them, not to worry. But they did worry. Alfred may not have been his actual brother, but he cared for him like he was. They used to be so close, and despite the oddness of Alfred's situation, he had told Alfred he was a werewolf and Alfred had accepted him.

Francis considered Alfred to be his son, and had been there with Matthew and Arthur when they had told him what they were. Alfred had already known that Arthur was a mage, as Arthur had to tell Alfred something when he was growing up. Alfred had asked why he was aging so slowly compared to the other children, and Arthur, not knowing quite what to say had told Alfred that it was a mixture of special herbs and spices from the Medium, the fourth realm along with the Human Realm, Heaven, and Hell.

The Medium was the place between the Human Realm and Hell, where most supernatural creatures were born and raised, living their whole life there before dying, although some came to the Human Realm and either caused mischief for or helped the humans. This was how the humans had come up with tales of spirits and creatures and magical beings. The humans thought they were fake but they were very real. The Medium was like Earth, only magic was the source for all development, as opposed to Earth's scientific evolution.

Since then Alfred had known all about the supernatural and magic. When Alfred had asked if he was human, Arthur had been conflicted on how to reply. He decided Alfred was too young, despite technically being decades old, to know the truth, so he had said yes.

Alfred had looked disappointed, most likely because he found other creatures so cool, but Arthur had cheered him up by showing him some spells. As the years passed, Arthur had not been able to find the words to tell Alfred that he was not a human, but the last of an incredible species of supernatural beings. Strangely, the words had come easily when he told Francis and Matthew. What was not easy was proving it, as they had been understandably skeptical. But Arthur had managed to pull it off without Alfred knowing, because he had been asleep.

Arthur had explained to them that Alfred was under a powerful spell, cast by an Angel most likely, one that suppressed his angelic powers and scent. But his blood could not hide the truth. When introduced to an enchanted flame, the reaction had been spectacular. His blood had burned with white smoke, and the warmth that had filled the room had brought the most pure and welcoming embrace they had ever experienced.

It was enough to convince Francis and Matthew, and re-convince Arthur that Alfred was a divine being, and that he had to be protected, at least until he was ready and able to use his own abilities.

* * *

Alfred stared into his cereal bowl, thinking about the nightmare and what it could be telling him. Why did he have a nightmare where his family and friends(he assumed) died? Who was the man with the glowing purple eyes? Alfred had no answers and it frustrated him. He moved his spoon absentmindedly around the bowl of soggy cereal as he thought.

Since he had woken up early and had been unable to go back to sleep, he had decided to just start the day, even though he wanted nothing more than to stay in bed and do nothing. The nightmare always managed to make him feel exhausted throughout the day, but usually he would feel more energetic by the time his shift at the bar started at six.

But today he would be going in early to work the other bartender's shift. Bella had come down with a cold and her brother had insisted she stay home, so Alfred had offered to work her shift as well as his own.

He didn't mind having an extra shift; he liked working at the bar. He just felt so tired and shaken up that he knew his heart wouldn't be in it, at least not until later.

He was so absorbed in his own thoughts that he didn't hear his brother walk in. Matthew stared at him with a slightly concerned expression before making his own breakfast. He put some bread in the toaster and got butter out of the refrigerator, then sat across from his brother, who he was surprised to see up. Because Alfred's shift at the bar started at 6 he usually slept in until ten or eleven, then lazed about all day. Matthew had to get up early because the school he worked for started at eight, so it was around six in the morning.

Alfred was sitting with food in front of him, but he wasn't eating it. Matthew suspected Alfred had experienced the nightmare again, but he didn't ask. He knew Alfred would skirt around the topic before leaving because he had 'to do something'.

He didn't understand, and neither did Francis nor Arthur, why Alfred wouldn't just tell them about the dream. They could help him, Matthew was sure of that, but Alfred refused to say anything about it. It bothered Matthew that his brother wouldn't accept his help, or the help of their fathers, but there was nothing he could do about it, as much as he hated that fact.

"Well you're up early," Matthew began, leaving out that it was probably the nightmare that had woken him so early.

Alfred jumped, dropping the spoon into the bowl and looking up at Matthew. He hadn't heard him enter. "Yeah, woke up and couldn't get back to sleep, so I just figured I might as well get up you know? Besides, I have to go to the bar early to work Bella's shift. She's sick and you know how her brother gets."

Matthew nodded, "He is pretty protective of her, I know he hates that she works there. I'm sure he appreciates your taking over her shift."

"Yeah, well, you'd never know. The guy never smiles. I don't know how Bella could turn out so funny and cute with a brother like that taking care of her," Alfred replied, looking back down at his bowl before pushing it away from him. The cereal was too soggy and he wasn't feeling hungry at the moment anyway.

His toast popped up and he stood to get it, grabbing Alfred's bowl of barely eaten cereal. As he dumped the soggy mess into the sink he remarked with a half-smirk, "Alfred not eating breakfast? What has the world come to."

Alfred smiled despite himself, "What, a guy can't be not hungry every once in a while? Jeez, Mattie, it's not the end of the world." He stood up and went to get a glass from the cupboard, then went to the refrigerator to take out the orange juice. Might as well have something breakfast related before he started his day.

Matthew just smiled and shrugged his shoulders, as if saying, 'could've fooled me'. "So you're going to work two shifts today? Are you okay to do that?"

Alfred ceased his pouring and set the carton down slowly, "Why wouldn't I be?" he said, "I'm fine, just a little tired from going to bed late and waking up early."

Matthew opened his mouth to say _no Alfred, you're not okay, why won't you talk to me?_, but Alfred cut him off. "Look Matt, everything's fine, don't worry so much, your bro can handle himself." He smiled again, wider, like nothing really was wrong, "I'm going to go change and get ready. Have a great day at work, and tell the kids I say hi, 'kay?"

Alfred walked out of the kitchen, feeling guilty. He wanted to tell his family about the dream, but at the same time he felt that it was somehow safer if they didn't know about it. Involving them in his problems seemed like a bad idea, and he didn't want them to freak out when he told them he saw them dead every week. He didn't like remembering the nightmares for that reason.

* * *

The bar was pretty empty most of the day, but things started picking up once happy hour started. Alfred's exhaustion had slowly gone away as more and more people entered the bar, and chatter and laughing filled the air. The televisions were on some sports channel and everyone looked to be having a good time, which made Alfred feel good.

It was Friday, so he expected more people to arrive later, as was typical of a Friday night. He had just finished serving a group of girls when he heard the door open. He looked over to see his brother and a tall man walking up to the bar, but he had to turn his attention back to a customer.

When he was finished, his brother called him over. He started walking over to them when he noticed certain features of the other man. He didn't know where, but he was sure he had seen this guy before.

When he finally stood in front of them, the stranger turned from speaking with Matthew to face him, violet eyes looking into blue.

Alfred froze, the sounds of the bar muted as he stared.

No..._no_, this couldn't be, it couldn't! His dream was just that right? Just a dream? This _couldn't be_ the same man from his nightmare, the one staring at him with the torn clothing, and the dirtied hair, a-and the glowing eyes, right?

Matthew was calling his name, hand waving in front of his face. All of a sudden the sound rushed back to him, and he blinked his eyes, focusing on Matthew's worried and confused face. "—red? Alfred? Are you alright?"

It was hard for him to form the proper words for his response, and he stuttered, "Y-yeah, Mattie, 'course I am. W-who's your f-friend?" Any other day he would have cursed himself for sounding so scared and weak, but he was too freaked out to care.

Matthew still looked worried but the confusion had turned into suspicion. What was Alfred hiding? Did it have to do with his dream? "Alfred, this is Ivan. Ivan, this is my brother Alfred."

* * *

**A/N-**

**Don't worry, the next chapter picks up directly after this one.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, maybe not directly after but close enough, since the POV changes. Also Matthew might be OOC because I like him confident, witty, and sarcastic, so don't expect him to be soft-spoken or ignored. He is a werewolf after all. **

* * *

After arriving home and changing, Ivan had begun walking to the bar. The town wasn't the smallest one he had ever been to, but he didn't feel the need to buy a car. He had more than enough stamina to walk or run anywhere he needed to go. Besides, he found walking relaxing. It cleared his mind and let him fully enjoy the environment around him.

Winter was coming and as much as he loved how snow looked on the ground and on trees, he loathed the bitter, biting coldness it brought along with its beauty. Being a creature from Hell(well half from Hell but the specifics didn't matter)naturally he would hate all things cold.

As he approached the bar, he caught sight of three men in a heated discussion. His hearing wasn't as acute as a full-blooded Demon's and he didn't like eavesdropping, but sometimes he couldn't help it. He couldn't just turn off his hearing, after all. He heard fragments and words that made little sense without context, like '—tell him', '—dream—', and '—not safe—'.

They were standing next to the entrance to the bar, and as he got closer he could see that it was Matthew, Francis, and Arthur. Matthew and Arthur had their backs to him, while Francis was facing them, and therefore him.

He wondered if they were going to notice him before he made it into the bar. He got his answer when Francis's attention abruptly shifted to him and his call of "Ah, Ivan! What a pleasant surprise," cut off the argument between the other two men.

Matthew and Arthur turned around to face him as he walked up to the bar doors. "Ivan? What are you doing here?" Matthew asked.

"Ludwig, well actually Feliciano invited me to go out drinking, and I had nothing better to do so I agreed," Ivan said, choosing not to tell of the real reason he had decided to go: watch Arthur get wasted and make a fool of himself, as well as watch whatever entertainment Francis, Gilbert, and Antonio might be able to provide. He figured it was nicer if he left that out. "Will you all be joining us?"

"Yes, but Arthur and I will be heading home to change first. Come on Arthur, I think our conversation will have to wait." Francis started tugging Arthur behind him as they made their way back to their house. "Don't think we won't discuss this more later on!" Arthur called out, slapping Francis's hands off of him. Francis just laughed.

Matthew turned to Ivan, slight embarrassment in his expression. "Eh, sorry about that. They can be a bit much at times." He motioned to the door, "Mind if I accompany you?; we don't really talk outside the library."

Ivan nodded, "Not at all, and I find them to be quite refreshing. Although I don't know how they managed to survive without killing each other, their personalities are so different. If I didn't know better I would say Arthur hated Francis." He had seen them interact before and it was always a confusing sight. They would switch between the most perfect couple to the most messed up one in a heartbeat.

Matthew sighed, "Try living with them. They may be different, but I know they love each other and would do anything for the other and us. Arthur's like a second father to me now, as I'm sure Francis is to Alfred. And Alfred is like my brother," Matthew paused, looking dejected, "I just wish he'd open up more."

Ivan raised his eyebrows slightly, "Oh? Is there something wrong with him?" From when Matthew would talk about Alfred, Ivan had the impression that Alfred was perpetually happy and smiling. Had something happened to change that?

"Not physically, no, but I think he's being plagued by a nightmare. He's been so tired looking lately, we're all worried, but nothing we do helps him." Matthew looked angry at that.

Nightmares. Ivan definitely knew something about those. He wondered..."Alfred knows about us right? Supernatural beings and the like?" Maybe he could help disperse this troubling dream, if Alfred agreed.

"Yeah, he knows, why?" Matthew asked.

"I might be able to help him. When I was younger, because of my nature I too would experience pesky nightmares, but my sisters, particularly my older one had a trick to dispel them. It worked for me, maybe Alfred would care to try?" If I didn't work then the worse thing that would happen would be Alfred's dream coming back. It was worth trying if there was nothing to lose.

"I don't know if Alfred would go for it. He hasn't told us anything about it. I guess we could ask him, he's working right now." Maybe a Demon's influence would help after all. He didn't know what else to try.

"Well, let us see if he will accept, yes?" Ivan smiled, "I look forward to meeting him. You talk of him quite a lot, it is strange I have yet to meet him, especially since I have met Francis and Arthur."

"Alright, then let's go. We'll try to find someway to bring up the topic of the dream. Also that you're a Demon." Matthew pulled open the door and Ivan and he walked through.

The bar wasn't too crowded for a Friday night, but it was still kind of early, so more people would probably trickle in. Alfred was serving a group of young girls, who were laying on some heavy flirting. Alfred was either too engrossed in work or didn't notice as he handed them their drinks, smiling, then looked over at them. But a man walked up to the counter and ordered a few drinks, drawing Alfred's attention away from them.

They found two open seats at the other side of the bar, and made small talk until Alfred had a spare minute. When Matthew noticed Alfred was free he waved him over, looking back at Ivan and saying, "Just act like you don't know anything for now, then we'll get to the supernatural stuff." Ivan nodded and, noticing how Alfred was stopped in front of them, turned his gaze on him.

Alfred had a curious reaction.

He stiffened, eyes widening slightly and fear dancing across his features. He stared at Ivan like he was witnessing a brutal murder beside him and expected to be next. Ivan narrowed his own eyes as he gazed into Alfred's fearful one's. He recognized the emotion for what it was and turned his head to look at Matthew, who had a worried and confused look on his face.

"Alfred?" he tried, waving his hand in front of his brother's face, "Alfred? Are you alright?"

Matthew's voice seemed to bring Alfred back, as he blinked several times before stuttering out, "Y-yeah, Mattie, 'course I am. W-who's your f-friend?" He sounded uncharacteristically unsure of himself, and Matthew suspected it had something to do with his dream. But how did Ivan cause such a reaction, if they had never met before?

"Alfred, this is Ivan. Ivan, this is my brother Alfred," Matthew introduced.

Ivan held out his hand, smile returning to his face, "Ivan Braginski. It's a pleasure to meet you after hearing so much about you from Matthew." He was still curious as to why Alfred had looked so afraid, but he figured that could be discussed later, when they talked about a potential cure for his nightmare.

Alfred had been trying to convince himself that Ivan was not the man from his dream. Besides, Matthew had mentioned a librarian named Ivan a number of times. There was no way someone who worked at a library could have anything to do with his twisted, dark dream, right?

He brought up his own hand and gripped Ivan's, "Alfred Jones. And right back at ya, man. Matt tells me you work at the library?" He let an easy smile form on his lips. He was starting to feeling normal again. "I can see how we wouldn't have met before. I haven't gone to a library in forever," he laughed, blue eyes reflecting his momentary happiness.

Ivan liked that look a lot more than his frightened one.

Another customer came up to the bar and Alfred had to attend to her, excusing himself before going over to her.

Matthew turned to Ivan. "Do you think you can help him?" Matthew asked. "Hmm," Ivan observed Alfred work, the easy and graceful way he prepared a drink and the smile on his face as he handed it to the girl making her blush, "I don't know, to be honest. Something about my appearance must have triggered a flashback from the dream. He looked terribly scared for a moment; you noticed it, yes?" He looked over at Matthew.

Matthew nodded, "Yes, I saw that, but...I don't know what could have happened in the dream to make him act that way. Like I said, he won't tell us anything about it."

"Well we might—" "Matthew!" Ivan was cut off by a loud, obnoxious voice from the bar's entrance. A couple seconds later an annoying(in Ivan's opinion)man practically jumped on Matthew, an arm slinging around his shoulders. Ivan saw Alfred look over at them, an amused expression on his face.

"Gilbert! You bastard," Matthew said with a smile, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Gilbert took his arm off of Matthew's shoulders, then waved over to Alfred, who waved back, "It was my idea for all of us to go out drinking, of course." Gilbert noticed Ivan sitting next to Matthew and his smile tightened. "Ivan," he acknowledged. "Gilbert," Ivan nodded back. At least he was being civil.

Gilbert started tugging Matthew away from Ivan. "Come on Matthew, let's have a drinking contest. You won't win this time!"

"You say that every time, Gilbert, but we both know you'll never beat me," Matthew smirked, "You're just not man enough."

Gilbert gasped, like his entire being had just been offended, "You take that back you sonuvabitch! I'll show you, no one's as manly or awesome as me!" Matthew just laughed and allowed Gilbert to drag him over to a table.

Alfred walked up to Ivan as they both watched the spectacle. When they were gone Alfred remarked, "I don't know why, but Gilbert brings out the weirdest personality in Matt. Usually Matt's pretty well-behaved, but when Gilbert's around he becomes this sarcastic, witty fucker. It's actually pretty funny to see."

Ivan looked back over at the duo before returning his attention to Alfred. "I don't know how Matthew can be friends with such an idiotic excuse for human life."

Alfred blinked, "Damn, how do you really feel about him big guy? Did he do something to ya?"

"Other than just being the most insufferable, annoying being in the world, no. His attitude just gets on my nerves." Gilbert was the epitome of self-centered dickhead, and Ivan had a less than favorable opinion of him.

Alfred laughed, the sound making Ivan smile. "He is a little much, isn't he?" Alfred said, his laughter dying down. "So the library, huh? Any reason why you chose to be surrounded by books all day?" To Alfred, that sounded like the most boring job ever.

Ivan looked down at the table, remembering the times when he was younger, and his older sister Katyusha would read to him and his younger sister Natalia. "When I was younger," Ivan started, "my older sister would read to me and my younger sister. She had been the one to teach me how to read, and had gone into town to get new books once I had finished all the ones in the house. I suppose being around books is reminiscent of being surrounded by the warmth my sister had provided."

"Wow, that's...that's a great reason to become a librarian. Way better than my reason for working here." Alfred looked sheepish, but then brightened up. "So, what d'ya want to start out with, hm?"

"Anything with vodka in it, please," Ivan answered. He had come to prefer the strong human beverage over other ones. The burning sensation in his throat reminded him of Hell, even though that shouldn't have been a good thing, but he supposed the Demon side of him appreciated it.

"Coming right up," Alfred said as he started preparing the drink. While he was working he struck up a new conversation. "Are ya here by yourself? Or are ya waiting on someone?" Alfred briefly wondered if Ivan had a date, and if he didn't would he like one, but he wiped that trail of thought from his mind. _Get a hold of yourself Alfred! __Christ,__ you barely know the guy!_

As he set the drink down, Ivan responded, "Yes, I was invited out with some friends, but I do not think they will be here for," he eyed the clock on the wall behind Alfred, "another fifteen minutes or so."

"That's alright man, nothin' wrong with getting a head start. Do you like the drink?" Alfred asked with another bright smile.

Matthew had not told him that Alfred was so...expressive. "Yes, it is very good, thank you. You know, I come here sometimes after work but I never see you, it is always a nice woman named, Bella, I believe." Why would Alfred be here today when every other time Ivan had come here he had not been? Did Alfred only work certain days?

Alfred had been refilling someone's glass while Ivan had been speaking, and responded when the customer walked away. "Well, usually I start my shift at six, but Bella was sick today and her brother wanted her to take the day off, so I offered to work her shift too."

So that was why. Ivan never stayed long, leaving around five thirty or five forty-five. Why stay drinking buy himself in a room full of strangers when he could be drinking at home with his cat? That way he also didn't have to focus through all the chatter. Hearing so many conversations at once had at first given him headaches, but he had learned to ignore the voices, for the most part. That didn't mean he enjoyed it though.

"Ah, that would explain it. The library closes at five, and when I come here I usually leave around forty minutes in." He smiled. "Such a shame too, I would have liked to have met you earlier than this." His smile widened when he saw a light blush arise on Alfred's cheeks.

Alfred's mind blanked. It's not like he wasn't used to getting hit on, from men and women alike, but he just could not control his blush, which deepened when he saw the widened smile on Ivan's face. Normally he could turn a situation around and make the other person flustered, but he couldn't think of any charming or suave comebacks. He had already sounded weak and scared in the beginning, and now he was sure he looked like some blushing virgin.

Today was just not his day.

Instead, he went with an honest response, grabbing a rag and a glass to wipe clean(not because it was dirty or wet but because he needed to occupy his hands with something)and allowing a small smile to grace his lips. "Thank you. You're very sweet to say so. Maybe you can stay after your friends leave?" He set the rag and glass down and put both his hands on the counter in front of him, leaning forward slightly.

Ivan set his glass down and looked into Alfred's eyes, pretending to think of an answer. He found Alfred bright and inviting, an easy presence to be around. Not to mention he was attractive, both physically and personality-wise. "I think that could be arranged."

They stared at each other for a moment, taking the other in. Alfred knew those eyes should unnerve him. They looked so much like the ones from his dream, _Ivan _looked so much like the man in his dream. And he didn't know what to think about that. He was afraid that, if he entered into a relationship with Ivan(let's face it, that's where this exchange was heading), and all the people in his dream had real life counterparts, his dream would somehow come true.

And even if Alfred didn't really know Ivan, he never wanted to see those eyes look at him in that way again. The defeated look didn't fit Ivan at all.

Their stare off was interrupted when Ludwig and Feliciano walked into the bar, spotting Ivan and moving over to him, Lovino, Antonio, Francis, and Arthur trailing behind. Alfred waved to his guardians. "Hey dad, hey Francis, are you here to drink too? I better hide the rum." He snickered at his own comment.

"Oh, haha, you got me," Arthur said sarcastically, "I'll have you know I can hold my alcohol just fine, and I don't need rumors," he elbowed Francis and glared at Antonio, "spread to point to the contrary.

Alfred laughed outright, "Did you forget that I'm the one who serves you? Do I need to dig up the security tapes?"

Arthur scowled. "Just get me a drink."

As Alfred tended to Arthur, Lovino was looking around the bar. "Is Bella here today?" He said, blushing furiously when Feliciano and Antonio looked at each other then at him.

"Awww, does little Lovino have a crush," Antonio teased. Lovino looked about ready to murder him. "Shut up, damn bastard! It's none of your business," Lovino growled, glaring at Antonio while he laughed. Feliciano smiled and hugged his brother.

"Don't be that way Lovino, Antonio's only teasing, right Toni?" "Ah, _s__í__ sí,_ I was only joking," he said, trying to contain his giggles. Lovino continued to glare for a moment or two before shaking off Feliciano's embrace. "Stop hugging me, you know I don't like it," he snapped.

Feliciano blinked and said, "But Lovi, hugging makes everyone feel good! Watch," and Feliciano was hugging Lovino again. He started protesting again, then really started to try and get out of the hug when Antonio joined, profanities in English and Italian flying out of his mouth. Ivan, Ludwig and Francis looked on, a variety of expressions on their faces, from amused to exasperated to indifferent.

Ludwig turned away from the trio and looked to Ivan, holding his hand out, "Ivan, always nice to see you again. I hope Feliciano didn't take up too much of your time."

Ivan shook Ludwig's hand. "Likewise, and no, it just takes him a bit to get to the point."

Ludwig nodded. He knew that better than anyone. "I was going to stop by and ask you myself, but there was an..._issue_ at the pool that needed taking care of."

Francis draped his arm over Ludwig's shoulder, shaking his head. "Ludwig, you are too tense. You need to relax every once in a while, having so much stress is not good for you. Why, just look at Arthur!"

Arthur, who had been about to take a sip of his drink almost choked on the liquid when he heard Francis's comment. He turned to look at Francis with an indignant look on his face. "What did you just say, you smarmy bastard! I ought to wring your neck!"

"Now you've done it Francis, you've gotten him all worked up. Everyone prepare yourselves!" Alfred said, teasing Arthur further.

Arthur turned his glare towards Alfred, saying, "You shut your mouth! I am most certainly not 'worked up', and neither am I 'tense', I simply have more responsibility on my shoulders than that...that _frog_!"

Alfred held his hands up in a non-threatening manner as Francis mock-gasped, holding his hand to his chest. "Arthur, my love, you wound me. And to take away this beautiful face from the world! Arthur you are too cruel."

"What are you talking about Francis? You're the ugliest bastard I've ever seen," Gilbert remarked, walking up to the group. "See! Thank you Gilbert, someone should knock him down a few pegs." Francis started walking over to Arthur. "Arthur, how could you say that? Maybe I should remind you why you love me so much." Arthur's face turned beat red and he said, rather loudly, "You stay away from me," at the same time Alfred said, "Whoa, take it outside, will ya?"

Gilbert turned to Ludwig. "I got us a table," he motioned over to Matthew, who was sitting at the table with a smug look on his face. "God, just look at that cocky little shit. I don't know how he does it but that kid can drink more beer than me Ludwig! Me! And I'm from Germany!"

"Trying to out-drink Matthew? I don't think you will ever succeed my friend," Francis remarked from where he was latched onto Arthur. He started dragging Arthur over to the table where Matthew was.

Gilbert started walking back over to the table, Feliciano, Lovino and Antonio following him. "I just don't see how that scrawny kid could best me, especially at drinking! Definitely not awesome." Ivan rolled his eyes at Gilbert's words while Ludwig put his face in his palm. Feliciano stopped next to Ludwig and started pulling on his arm, towards the direction of their friends.

Ludwig looked to Ivan. "Are you going to join us or remain here? I saw you speaking to Alfred before we walked over." Ivan looked over at Alfred, who smiled and said, "I'm not goin' anywhere." Ivan turned back to Ludwig, standing up and saying, "Yes, I will join you."

* * *

The night was surprisingly fun, considering Ivan never went out with friends. He had been right when he predicted that Arthur, Francis, Gilbert and Antonio would provide entertainment, even if it was at their own expense(which is the best kind of entertainment). Gilbert had ended up too drunk from his drinking contest with Matthew to remember that he didn't like Ivan, and therefore had acted friendly and, amazingly, not obnoxious or annoying. Quite the feat while drunk.

Despite all the laughs and distractions his group provided, Ivan's thoughts kept returning to one person. When he and Alfred had been in that moment, contradicting emotions and thoughts had arisen within him and confused him. There was no doubt he was attracted to Alfred, by the looks of it a lot of people in the bar were, but there were deeper feelings than just superficial physical attraction.

He suspected it was the two sides of himself that were the cause of his confusing feelings. His human side was drawn to Alfred like any other human would be, but his Demon side put less than savory thoughts in his head. While his human side came up with innocent thoughts of the future he could have with Alfred, they were tainted with flashes of the sexual relationship he could have and they were far from innocent.

Something within Alfred was drawing out feelings he had never had to deal with before. There were thoughts of _corruption_ and _power_ and _could all be mine_, along with feelings of lust and possessiveness, but they made no sense to Ivan. No other human had caused such strong feelings, why was Alfred so different?

Then a little voice inside Ivan whispered, _maybe he's not human,_ which just frustrated Ivan. If Alfred wasn't human, then what was he? He smelled human and had the presence of a human, even if it was a little brighter. Yet the strange and twisted way part of him was drawn to Alfred signaled otherwise.

It bothered and annoyed Ivan that he couldn't figure it out, and every time he looked over at Alfred the feelings came rushing to the front of his mind.

Despite the weird emotions Alfred brought out of him, Ivan could say that he was glad he had agreed to come to the bar, and he would have to thank Ludwig for thinking to invite him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Jeez, people can be so nice. All the reviewer comments make me blush and smile like an idiot. I write the chapters one right after the other, like seriously I submit one chapter then start working on the second, so if it takes a little longer to get a chapter out I'm just trying to string sentences and ideas together. And I'm glad everyone likes this story, thanks again. Also, when you get to it Reykja is supposedly pronounced "Ray-kah" with the R rolled. I don't actually know because I don't speak Icelandic. It means(supposedly) smoke.**

* * *

Despite the headaches trying to sort out his emotions gave him, Ivan returned to the bar. He went everyday or so, since he honestly didn't have anything else to do. He would sit at the bar and talk to Alfred for hours, ordering water to make it look like he was there for a drink and not for the hot bartender.

There was something that was bothering Ivan though. He wanted to tell Alfred about him, about what he was. He just didn't know how to start that conversation, or even how to steer a conversation that way. _So, I know what Matthew and Francis are, Arthur too. By the way, I'm a Demon myself_...actually...that approach might work in this case.

Alfred knew what his family was, and so did Ivan. He just had to hint that he knew and if Alfred caught on, then he could tell Alfred of his supernatural nature. But where to start?

Ivan thought about his predicament everyday during work, and just when he thought he knew the right words, the moment he saw the peppy blond all thoughts were thrown out the window(except the sexual ones of course, those were pretty constant, whether he wanted them to be or not (he did)).

He had a good thing going with Alfred and he didn't want to ruin it, as much as that thought had surprised him when it crossed his mind. This happy, bright, inviting _human_ had Ivan feel so many things for the first time in his long life that he didn't know what to do when around the source of said feelings.

At the same time though, he wanted to take a step further with Alfred. These thoughts had started to invade his mind the more he spent getting to know the bartender, but he wanted more. He just felt that Alfred should know about his demonic side before choosing whether or not to pursue a real relationship with him. And for the first time in a long, _long_ time, Ivan was scared of rejection.

* * *

Alfred noticed. How could he not? A handsome guy coming to chat and flirt heavily with him every day? At least Alfred knew Ivan was interested in him.

But what about more? Alfred hadn't had too many long-term relationships. For one, he couldn't tell them his father figure was a man who could use magic, or that magic was real, for that matter. They'd think he was crazy! And two, he and Arthur never stayed in one place long because of their slow aging.

Alfred had been growing pretty quickly over the years, still slower than a normal human but fast enough. It was only when he got to where he was now that his aging seemed to stop. The way he looked now had been his appearance for decades.

So Alfred didn't know what to think about Ivan's visits. They had chemistry, no doubt, Ivan was a great guy, funny and nice, plus he put up with Alfred's randomness. Any guy or girl to accomplish that was a keeper in Alfred's book.

After their initial meeting, Alfred had never been apprehensive about Ivan again. Ivan was so sweet to him, he was nothing like the strange man in his dreams, which he had noticed where coming less often.

He had even talked to Matthew about his problem, how he wanted to be with Ivan but at the same time he didn't want to break Ivan's heart when they all left the town they were in. They had been there for years already, they would have to move on eventually. Matthew had been no help, only giving a vague response of "He'll understand, Al. Don't worry. And go for it if you want to."

Oh he wanted to. It was colder out now as Fall gave way to Winter. Ivan had taken to wearing a black coat that stopped just above his knees and a faded beige scarf. But since it wasn't nearly as cold inside the bar as outside, he would take it off and fold it over the back of his seat. He would sometimes be wearing a short sleeve shirt underneath and Alfred would silently admire the muscles in his arms.

They weren't heavily defined like Ludwig's body was(that guy was insanely buff, Alfred had seen him at the pool a number of times, it was like he ate steel or something) but he looked _strong_ and that turned Alfred on like nothing else. He would often fantasize about what it would be like to have those arms encircle him, or pin him down and dominate him, but then he would realize what he was thinking and blush heavily.

But he wanted that, he just didn't know how to get it.

* * *

It was Sunday, and since the bar was closed he had to find something to occupy his time. He spent the morning with his cat, who he suspected was getting lonely since he only came home for thirty minutes or so before heading to the bar. Ivan was sure his cat appreciated it.

Around lunch he decided to go grocery shopping, as he was running low on essentials. He pet his cat one last time as he walked by him, then exited into the chilly air. It wasn't as cold as it had been the previous days, so he forewent the his usual coat for a green sweater he rather liked.

The store was only a few minutes away, and when he entered the warm building he grabbed a basket and went to find his items.

After several minutes of picking out various foodstuffs, he turned a corner and bumped into someone. He went to apologize, "I'm sor—" before seeing who it was, "Alfred?" What a coincidence.

Alfred looked up, readjusting his glasses. As soon as his eyes focused on Ivan he smiled, "Sorry man, I was a little distracted, should'a watched where I was goin', but fancy meeting you here, huh?"

"Yes, I did not expect to see you today. It's a little strange seeing you in something other than your uniform." Both Bella and Alfred had to were a black top, black bottoms, and a white apron with pockets. Alfred had on jeans, a white t-shirt, and a dark brown bomber jacket. The look fit him just as much as his bartender uniform did.

"Well, I hope not in a bad way," Alfred said lowly, sly smile appearing on his face.

"Oh, I don't think that's possible," Ivan responded, similar smile stretching across his face. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"Not at all, I'm just going to grab some hamburger meat. I'm here with Mattie but he usually sends me to pick out some things." They started walking towards the meat department, talking about nothing in particular, though Ivan was trying to get himself to ask Alfred out while Alfred tried to do the same thing.

They got to the meat section but Alfred stopped in front of it and turned to Ivan, blurting out, "Do you wanna get some lunch or something?" And immediately blushed. Ivan blinked. That solved a part of his problem. He smiled again, sincerely, and said, "I would like nothing more."

Alfred smiled widely, whole being seeming to brighten, "Great! I just have to find Mattie and give him the meat, then we can go." Alfred inspected the meat products and picked out a suitable one, then turned back to Ivan. "Are you still shopping?" Alfred said, motioning to the basket in Ivan's hand, "Or are you done?"

Ivan looked down at his items. "Hm, I suppose I am done. I will have to drop these off at my place, is that alright?" This was such a relief, but now Ivan had the whole 'Demon' thing to worry about. Maybe this would be the perfect opportunity to approach the topic.

Alfred nodded, "Yeah that's fine. Meet in front of the store?"

Ivan nodded in return, "I will see you in a little bit."

Alfred smiled again and started walking away. Ivan admired the way Alfred's hips moved and how great his lower half looked in those jeans, then shook his head and walked toward the check out counters.

When he was finished paying, he grabbed the bags and walked to the exit, where Alfred was waiting for him. They exited the store together and started walking to Ivan's apartment, making small talk along the way. When they arrived Ivan stopped. "Would you like to come in? It's gotten terribly cold out here. I shouldn't be long but, how about it?" Ivan offered.

"Sure, thanks big guy. I don't know what is up with this weather," Alfred commented as they started climbing the stairs to the second story. "It was warmer this morning, now it's freezing! But that's okay, I don't mind the cold. It just means fires and hot chocolate and lots of comfy blankets."

Ivan unlocked the door and stepped through, shutting the door behind Alfred. Alfred observed the cozy looking living room while Ivan went into the open kitchen, which had a two person bar separating it from the living room.

There were pictures on the walls and a cat lounging on the back of the couch. The room was painted a neutral brown but the kitchen was a warm yellow, from what he could see of uncovered wall space. He sat on the couch as he waited for Ivan to put his groceries away.

The cat looked at him before getting up and jumping down onto the cushion, cautiously walking over to Alfred, who held his hand out for it. It sniffed his hand before he curled his fingers under it's chin, purring starting up instantly. The cat, a big fluffy gray one, climbed into his lap and seated itself sideways across his thighs. Alfred continued petting it, the purring so loud he was sure Ivan could hear it from the kitchen.

When he finished putting the groceries away in their proper places, Ivan walked out of the kitchen and found his cat on Alfred's lap, soaking up all the attention Ivan had been(unintentionally) starving him of. If only the cat knew Alfred was the cause.

"I see he has taken a liking to you. It's not everyday he has the attention of new people. I must admit though, lately I haven't been spending as much time as I could be with him. His name is Reykja."

Alfred gently picked the cat up off his legs and cuddled it before letting him down, allowing the cat to wander into the kitchen. He turned to Ivan, commenting, "How could you not want to cuddle that big fluff ball all day? Got something else on your mind?"

Ivan watched Reykja go into the kitchen, then turned to Alfred, trying to form his next words right. "Actually, yes. He's a young man I met at a bar. I've taken to going to that bar after work, leaving barely any time for poor Reykja."

Alfred smiled slightly and started making his way to the door. "A bar huh? Better be careful man, you can never be to sure about people there. I take it he's hot? Why else would you go back, right?"

Making sure he had his keys, Ivan followed Alfred to the door. "He seems pretty alright to me, and yes he is very attractive, but I find him appealing in a mental sense, as well as a physical one." Before Alfred could reach for the doorknob, Ivan put his hand on the door near Alfred's head, catching his attention and making Alfred turn around then look slightly up at him, since Ivan had leaned in a little to say in a low tone, "As desirable as I find him, he is funny and charming and lively, and I am very fortunate to have met him. I can only hope that he sees me in a similar light."

Alfred shivered at the low tone, eyes closing briefly. When he opened them again he looked straight into Ivan's.

"You know," he stated softly, "I think he pretty much feels the same." Then he chuckled, "Why don't we have that lunch now, hm?"

Ivan dropped his hand from the door and straightened out, a small but genuine smile on his face. He grabbed the doorknob and pulled the door open, holding it for Alfred. "That is very good to know," he said, stepping out of his apartment after Alfred. He locked the door and followed Alfred down the stairs and out onto the sidewalk, where they walked together.

"Do ya feel like anything in particular or should we just go to a café or something," Alfred asked. He didn't really care where they ate, he had a wide variety of food he liked.

"I'm not that hungry, perhaps a café would be best. Of course if you are hungry feel free to direct us anywhere you want."

"Hm, I think the café's good. I know one that has a pretty decent lunch menu, we could go there." He had been there on multiple occasions when he wanted something quick and good to eat, and usually Matthew would eat with him during his lunch break, as the school was only down the street. It was convenient living in a small-ish town, where everything was practically in walking distance, if you didn't mind walking twenty minutes or so.

"Alright, lead the way." This time, Ivan wouldn't let himself back out of telling Alfred about him. This opportunity had been handed to him and he would not waste it. As they walked in a comfortable silence Ivan thought of how he was going to address the topic.

They arrived around five minutes later to a nice, warm-looking café. They stepped inside and observed the huge menu on the wall, then ordered before finding a seat to wait for their meals to be brought to them. They thanked the woman who brought them their food and proceeded to eat and talk, laughing and sharing various stories. When they had finished their food Ivan finally decided to begin the conversation he was somewhat dreading.

He made sure he had Alfred's attention before he continued. "There's something that I feel I must tell you, before whatever this is goes any further." Alfred looked intrigued and motioned for him to go on. "As you know I have spoken to Matthew many times, as he visits the library quite often. He has told me that you know that he is..._different,_ along with Francis and Arthur. Do you know to what I am referring to?"

Alfred furrowed his eyebrows as he thought about what could be different about Matthew. Then he perked up, but looked around the café as if to find strangers listening in on their discussion. "You mean the whole...not human thing?" He whispered.

Ivan sighed in relief. Wow had that been easier than he thought. "Yes, that is what I am talking about."

Alfred looked confused suddenly. "Wait, why would Matt tell you about him and our parents?"

Now came the moment of truth.

Ivan breathed in and let it out slowly, looking right into Alfred's eyes as he said, "I know what they are because I am similar. I am a Demon."

* * *

**A/N-**

**I never realized how hard it is to progress a story without the use of major time skips. It would be so much easier if they met and then were together! Sadly, character and plot development gets in the way. Also I don't think I'm going to address Alfred's sexuality in the story but I did hint to it. Alfred is bisexual. Ivan has lived for so long that he doesn't even care.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Alfred is a carefree kind of guy. When I wrote the ending for the last chapter I realized that I didn't know which way to take Alfred's response. On one hand he accepted Matthew and Francis easily, because he knew about Arthur and they were his family. On the other Ivan is a more dangerous creature than his family. They've only known each other for weeks, compared to his family. So I tried to make his response an even amount of acceptance and reluctance, because Alfred knows about the supernatural, but he's never met a Demon. I don't think anyone would just accept something like that. Anyway I hope it came out okay.**

* * *

He didn't react visibly. It was more like a sudden realization, his confused face going expressionless and eyes dropping to the table.

He didn't say anything though, and Ivan didn't want to disturb his moment of silence, so he was subject to waiting and hoping, hoping Alfred wouldn't stand up, walk away and want nothing to do with him anymore. He scratched at the table while he waited.

"You told me you have sisters, right?" Ivan's attention snapped to Alfred, to find him staring at Ivan with a carefully blank expression. "Would you mind telling me about them?"

Although he was confused about why Alfred would be interested in his sisters, especially considering the information Ivan had just told him, he obliged the request.

"My older sister, Katyusha, is a Demon like me. My younger sister Natalia is a vampire. Katyusha is a very old, very wise Demon. She has been alive far longer than me. She is different though. She is kind, sweet, very caring and all together not how a Demon should be. But I am grateful to her. She found me after my mother had abandoned me in this realm. She took me in and, along with Natalia, they were my new family, and I couldn't have found a better one. Katyusha taught me how to save people instead of hurt them, how to use my abilities to help rather than to hinder.

Natalia was with Katyusha before I was, but she is younger than me. Katyusha had explained that Natalia had been turned by a man because of her beauty, and he wanted that for himself, for all eternity. But she was too strong, too proud to be some older vampire's plaything. So she killed him, in a violent and unorganized way. Katyusha and Natalia crossed paths and Katyusha offered to help her control her urges. Natalia would also always drain her victims completely, leaving nothing but an empty husk with a torn out throat. Katyusha taught Natalia about the value of life, and now she leaves her victims alive.

They are my two most important people, and I owe them everything I have for what they did for me."

Alfred listened to Ivan describe his sisters with a soft smile, and when Ivan finished he asked, "Were you nervous about telling me?"

Ivan looked at Alfred and said the truth. "Yes, very much so. I didn't want you to turn me away because of what I am. I enjoy spending time with you, immensely, and I didn't want to lose that."

Alfred looked down again for a moment before seeming to make up his mind. He reached out his hand and placed it on Ivan's, looking at him and smiling widely.

"Thank you for telling me, Ivan, it means a lot to me. I can see that you are sincere in your words. Your family sounds wonderful, and if I ever meet them I know who to thank. Your body may be a Demon's, but you are not one of them. I have heard stories from Arthur about how cruel they can be, how utterly uncaring about life they are. You are not like that at all, and I wouldn't dream of leaving what we have."

Ivan was stunned.

Alfred had accepted him. Alfred had accepted him and Ivan didn't know how to react to Alfred's words. They were a relief to hear, a burden being lifted off his shoulders. He was so happy that this hadn't turned out bad and that Alfred could see past his supernatural side to the real him. He wasn't just a Demon, and his feelings for Alfred proved that.

He turned the hand under Alfred's over and squeezed, feeling like he was about to cry. "Thank you, for understanding," he said, "thank you so much."

* * *

A few days passed, and they continued to have lunch together. Since Alfred worked at night, that left his whole day open. He had begun visiting Ivan in the library and eating lunch with him there while Ivan was on his lunch break.

He had also told Matthew about what had happened, and Matthew had told him, "See? I told you he'd understand." Now he knew that, if they had to leave town, Ivan would most likely follow.

It was on one such day of going to the library to eat lunch with Ivan that he found Matthew there. When Alfred walked into the library he spotted Matthew and Ivan speaking quietly to each other, but they stopped when they noticed him. He walked up to them with a suspicious look on his face.

"Mattie, what are you doin' here?" He stopped next to his brother, who was in front of the counter Ivan was behind.

"Al, there's something we wanted to ask you. I talked to Arthur and he said that it would be okay to try, to his knowledge." Matthew said, looking at his brother. He and Ivan were going to try to talk Alfred into agreeing to go through a spell that might stop his nightmare. Arthur had said the spell looked harmless, and Ivan had said it worked for him.

"Okay to try what?" Alfred asked, looking at Ivan and Matthew.

"Matthew has told me that you suffer from a recurring nightmare," Ivan stated, going on before Alfred could interrupt, "and I think I might know a way of stopping it. When I was younger and conflicted about what my purpose was, I would have nasty dreams about Hell. They persisted until Katyusha performed a spell that banished them and put my mind at rest."

Alfred was unsure if he should go through with it. The dream had only been bothering him every week; it wasn't visiting him every night like it used to. He could actually get a good night's sleep these days. And now that Alfred knew Ivan was not a simple librarian but a Demon from Hell, he could easily see that Ivan was the man from his dream. He was reluctant to accept help because he didn't want anyone in his dream to know about it.

"I...I don't know—" "Alfie, please," Matthew grabbed Alfred by the shoulders and looked into his eyes, trying to convey how desperate he was to help Alfred get rid of the dream. "Please, let us help you. I know that you said it wasn't bothering you too much anymore, but when it does happen you are scared and shaken up all day. This isn't healthy for you, Alfred."

Alfred was startled by Matthew's sudden outburst. His brother looked so worried for him, and a glance to his right showed that Ivan was concerned as well. He sighed and grabbed Matthew's hands off his shoulders, using them to pull his brother into a hug. Matthew hugged back weakly until Alfred said, "Alright, I'll do it," then gripped the back of Alfred's shirt harder.

Matthew pulled back, relief written all over his face. "Thank you." He turned to Ivan, who had been silent to allow the brothers their moment. "When can you do it?" he asked.

"I can perform the spell anytime, only a candle is necessary. Whenever Alfred is ready, I can do it." Ivan replied. The spell was relatively easy, the trickiest part was the incantation itself. It had to be said in the language of Hell, a language that only Demons could speak.

Alfred thought about when he would be free. "Today's Thursday, right? I think Sunday would be the best day to perform it since nobody works that day. Arthur and Francis want to be there too I'm guessing?" He directed this question at Matthew.

Matthew smiled, "You know how Arthur is. He's a mage, of course he wants to be there, and Francis will be there to support you should you need it, as will I."

Alfred sighed again and smiled slightly, thinking about Arthur and how protective he could be. "Alright, Sunday it is. Are you going to eat with us today Mattie?" Was Matthew only here to discuss the spell with him?

Looking at the clock on the wall, Matthew shook his head. "No," he said, "I don't think I will have time today, I have work to do at the school. I'll see you at home later bro. Nice to see you again Ivan." He started walking towards the door.

"Bye Matt." "Goodbye, Matthew, I will have that book you wanted in around a week."

Matthew nodded in acknowledgment then exited the library to return to the school. Alfred turned to see Ivan looking at him. He flushed under that intense gaze. After several seconds of Ivan just staring at him, Alfred finally asked, "What?"

Ivan softened his expression and asked, "Why are you so against help from your family? They only want what's best for you. Matthew was right when he said it isn't healthy to keep having these dreams, especially since you don't talk about them."

"I'm not against their help," Alfred defended, "I just—I feel that telling them about it will trigger some major catastrophe or something."

"You are overreacting, I think," Ivan said. "It is just a dream, nothing is going to happen, to you, to me, or to your family." If only Ivan knew how wrong he was.

* * *

It was Saturday(technically Sunday morning), and the bar was almost empty. Closing time would be rolling around in thirty minutes, so Alfred had to wait until the stragglers of a big group that had been there earlier left. Strangely, Ivan had not gone home yet.

Usually Ivan would sit and talk with him, then leave before ten. But Ivan had stayed, and nothing Alfred said could force him to retire for the night. All Ivan would say was that he would be fine, and that Alfred shouldn't worry about him because, as a Demon, he didn't need as much sleep as a human. He needed sleep, but he could easily function if he didn't rest for several days.

So Alfred talked to Ivan for the remainder of his shift, during which time the other occupants of the bar finally left, then he and Ivan left. He locked the door behind him and turned to Ivan, who was looking at him already. "Would you mind if I walked you home?" he asked.

Alfred smiled and said, "Of course not." They proceeded to walk to Alfred's house, resuming their previous conversation about what Alfred could expect for later on that day, as it was very early Sunday morning. Ivan had described it as a very basic spell; the one candle needed was proof of that.

What Ivan had not told Alfred was that Ivan would need to hear the dream to effectively get rid of it, but he did that on purpose, so that Alfred would not decide to refuse them again. Ivan had seen how worried Alfred's family was for him, particularly Matthew. Ivan could admit that he was also worried, and believed that the help he was offering would benefit Alfred greatly.

He felt guilty for not telling the whole truth, but this was for Alfred, so he would deal. Besides, he was planning to do something, which is why he had stayed so much longer than normal.

They arrived at Alfred's front door and Alfred stopped in front of it, then turned around to face him. He was frowning. "I'm kind of nervous about later on today Ivan. How do you know everything will turn out okay?" He didn't want to see his dream come true.

Ivan noticed the nervousness in Alfred's expression and grabbed his hands, holding them loosely between them. Alfred looked up at him, blue eyes reflecting the sadness his dream must have caused him. Ivan smiled in a reassuring way.

"Nothing is going to happen, do not worry." Alfred still didn't look convinced. "But—" "But," Ivan interrupted, "if something should happen, you will have the support of your family. They will protect you if anything goes wrong."

"Will you protect me?" Alfred whispered.

"With my life," Ivan answered, completely serious.

Alfred searched Ivan's eyes, finding nothing but the truth and conviction. Would Ivan really risk everything to save his life? The thought made Alfred's heart flutter.

They leaned in at the same time, Alfred having to tilt his head back while Ivan had to tilt his head down. The result of those actions was the light touch of lips on lips. The kiss was chaste and lasted for only a few seconds, but managed to transmit all the feelings they had for one another to each other. Ivan pulled back slightly to whisper, "Goodnight," on Alfred's lips before he squeezed the hands still in his then pulled back entirely and turned to walk home.

Alfred stared after him, the ghost sensation of lips on his still present. When Ivan was out of sight a giddy, goofy smile appeared on his face. Smiling like an idiot, he unlocked the door and stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

* * *

**A/N-**

**Oh man, next chapter...wow even i'm excited. I hope it turns out okay. Things will probably pick up in the upcoming chapters, at least plot wise, especially as we leave the human realm behind and travel to the Medium. Also the antagonist is introduced next chapter, but I've already shown him briefly. Can you guess?**


	8. Chapter 8

Sunlight shown through the window, warming the sheets and rousing him from sleep. This was why he had chosen this room; not only did the natural lighting of the sun create a relaxing environment for him, but he always woke up warm and comfortable.

He blinked open his eyes and just laid there for a few minutes, staring up at the ceiling, eyes unfocused without his glasses. He basked in the morning sun but eventually had to get up and start his day, which he was still a little nervous about.

Though Ivan had quelled his fears about the possible outcomes the spell could produce, he couldn't help but feel nervous. It was like something deep inside him was still afraid of going through with the spell, and that fear, although not as strong, was present in his mind.

He got up and put his glasses on, thoughts returning to last night, or early that morning, he supposed.

_Ivan had...kissed me, had said he would protect me._ That still made him feel giddy. _Ivan's different than the other people I've been with,_ Alfred mused, walking out of his room to the kitchen,_ is it because he's not human? Or is it the way he was raised?_ He was so caught up in his thoughts that he walked right past Matthew and Francis, who were sitting at the table and eating breakfast while conversing in French. He went to the refrigerator and took out some eggs, still wrapped up in his own world.

While he was cooking the eggs, he touched his lips with the tips of his fingers and giggled.

"Oho, somebody had a good night, hm?" Francis finally decided to speak up, scaring Alfred and making him gasp and turn around, suddenly aware of the other people in the room.

"Francis! Jeez—do you think you could clear your throat next time or something? Christ, almost gave me a heart attack." Alfred scowled at the two amused men sitting at the table.

"We were already here, Al, you should have been paying more attention to your surroundings." Matthew said. "How was your night by the way?" Francis looked interested as well.

Alfred turned back to his eggs, scowl transforming into a smile. "It went fine, like normal, in the beginning."

"And in the end...?" Matthew pressed.

Alfred kept his eyes on the eggs but couldn't hide the blush on his cheeks. "Well, he stayed until closing then walked me home. We talked about the spell some more then we...well we...sorta...kissed," he trailed off at the end, but his listeners heard him, what with their supernatural hearing, and all.

"Ah, young love, what a wonderful sight to behold," Francis said with a grin.

Alfred ignored Francis, turning off the stove and dumping the scrambled eggs on a plate. He got a fork out and sat at the table across from Francis and next to Matthew.

"Where's Arthur?" Alfred changed the subject quickly, not willing to listen to Francis go on and on about love. That was not exactly what he wanted to hear at the moment.

"Arthur said he needed to get something for the spell, although he didn't say what. I don't see what he could be talking about though; we have lots of candles laying around," Matthew said.

Francis picked up his plate and Matthew's plate, then went over to the sink. "He is getting extra protection," he said.

Alfred's head whipped around, and he said, words sounding slightly panicked, "Why? Why does he think extra protection is needed, I thought this spell was supposed to be quick and easy? Why—"

"Alfred, calm down. You know how he is. He told me yesterday that he had approved of the spell because in theory it should work, but everyone is different. He had been feeling like he needed more protection, so he traveled to the Medium early this morning to consult with an older and far wiser mage who lives there. He will most likely be back sometime right after lunch," Francis explained.

Turning back around in his seat and picking up the fork he had dropped in his momentary panic, Alfred continued eating the eggs until they were gone, then pushed the plate away from him and folded his arms across the table, putting his head on top of them.

Matthew patted Alfred on the back. "It's okay, Al. We'll be here; nothing will happen to you."

Alfred picked his head up off his arms and looked at Matthew, then at Francis, then said, "I know you will be, and I appreciate that."

They just smiled.

* * *

Just like Francis said, Arthur returned to the house after lunch, carrying a small bag. When questioned by his family(mostly Alfred), he revealed that they were talismans, meant to be set upon each wall of a room. He explained that they would glow with a different color for several different situations, like if an entity from beyond was summoned a talisman would glow a dull blue.

They had decided that the living room was the best spot to perform the spell, so Arthur had placed eight talismans on the walls, two for each. If a ghost was summoned _and_ time froze, for instance, one talisman would glow the dull blue while another would glow a vibrant orange. If anything happened that wasn't planned on happening, Arthur would know.

Ivan arrived shortly after they had set up the talismans. He approved of their presence but believed they would not be necessary. They all hoped that.

They cleared away some space in the center of the room so Alfred and Ivan could sit across from each other on the floor. Matthew sat in a chair to one side of them while Francis and Arthur sat on the couch on the other.

Now they were ready to begin.

Ivan set a black candle he had borrowed in between them. Alfred looked nervous but determined at the same time. It appeared he wanted to get rid of the dream and was taking this seriously.

"In order for this to work correctly, I need you to tell me the nightmare you keep experiencing," Ivan stated. Predictably, Alfred was not happy.

"What? You never said I had to tell it to you! I didn't tell it to my family for a reason!" Alfred was angry that Ivan had not told him this bit of information.

"Please Alfred. We are going to get rid of the nightmare now, there is no point to hide it from your family any longer," Ivan said, trying to get Alfred to cooperate.

"B-but...," he looked around at his family, "...fine."

He took a deep breath and started, "It starts with me running from shadows. I'm wearing a white tunic and carrying a torch with a blue flame. I'm running through ruins when the shadow reaches out and rips the bottom of my tunic, but I turn the torch on it and it retreats. A bridge appears and I cross it, jumping over a gap near the other side. I fall and get the wind knocked out of me, but the shadows don't do anything because they can't cross the bridge.

When I stand up, I look around to see more ruins and a temple. The ground and the stairs to the temple are covered in dark stains. There is nowhere to go except the temple, so I enter it. I'm presented with three doorways, but the left one and the right one are blocked, so I go down the middle one. Everything is normal, the halls are covered with weapons and plaques. Then I enter a room."

Alfred closed his eyes to better visualize the scene.

"There are seven bodies in the room. I can't tell who they are but I have a feeling that I know them. I can't go back so I have to move on to the next hallway. This hallway is darker than the last one. There's this black substance on the walls. It's very thick and comes from the ceiling. Everything is covered in it, and the hallway is colder as well, so I rub my arms. That's when I notice a ring on my left ring finger. I'm not sure, at first, if it had always been there, but then I decide that it has. There's another room I enter and..." his voice trailed off. Just thinking about it made his heart hurt.

As in the dream, this part was the hardest. He didn't like dreaming it and he didn't like thinking about it. He loved his family so much; he didn't want them to know he had a recurring dream where in they died.

He didn't look at his family, didn't look at Ivan, just gazed down at the candle Ivan had lit just before he started recounting his dream.

"There are three bodies in this room. They are easily recognizable because their deaths had come quick with a single shot through the head. On my left," he looked to his left, at Matthew, "is Matt, and on my right," he looked to his right, "are Francis and Arthur.

Because of this sight, nothing after that part affects me. The next hallway is even darker than the last, but I don't care. I come to two doorways, but like in the beginning the right one is blocked, so I walk through the left one. The path curves, first away from the other door, then towards the other door. The reason for this is that in between the two hallways is a giant gap. The wall to my right stops and the other path is revealed.

There is a man standing in the center of the hallway on that side. His hair and clothes are dirty, and his clothes are torn in places. He stares at me as I continue walking along the path. The only thing about him that is different are his eyes. They are a glowing purple color."

Alfred looked up at Ivan, into wide versions of the eyes he had just described. "The man is you, Ivan. That is why I acted like I did when we first met. Your eyes had reminded me of the dream man's eyes.

After I pass the man and exit the hallway, there is only darkness, but I know where to go, somehow. I walk until I enter a room. I get this feeling that the room is huge, even though I can't see it. There's a thrown in the center, sitting on bones, but no one is on it."

The last part of his dream was by far the most confusing. He didn't know why he would just stand there and take the hit. Was it meant to symbolize something?

"I stand there until..." He frowned at the candle, trying to think of a way to phrase his next sentence. "Someone stabs me through the back with their hand, and I see that my heart is clutched in their fist, only it's black. My blood is also black, like the thing on the walls. They say 'You're mine.' and I notice that the fist is wearing the same ring I am, on the same finger too. Then I wake up."

Nobody spoke. Alfred kept his eyes on the candle then mustered up the courage to look around. He looked up first and noticed that Ivan looked extremely concentrated, eyes narrowed and everything. He wasn't looking at Alfred though, he was gazing at the candle.

Alfred looked to his left and saw Matthew with a concerned look on his face. Just like his brother to worry about him so much. He wanted to make a joke, to lighten the mood, but he couldn't. This moment in time simply didn't call for it, no matter how somber it was.

Arthur looked much like Ivan, concentrated and preoccupied with his thoughts. Francis was looking at him though, the only one doing so, but he had a sad frown on his face.

"Do you understand now, why I never told any of you?" Alfred said, breaking the silence that was beginning to drive him mad. "I didn't want you worried over something so obviously worrisome. Nothing you've tried so far has worked, and you didn't need to know that I saw your deaths almost every night." Then he looked at Ivan, who had moved his gaze from the candle to Alfred when he had started talking. "And you," Alfred said, "how could I have seen you in my dream months before I even met you? And what are the chances I would meet you? I didn't want anyone in my dream involved with it in the real world."

"Okay," Ivan said, "Now I need your blood." Right, Alfred had forgotten about his part. Ivan had told him about it earlier this morning, when they were returning from the bar. He had said that because of how persistent the dream was, the added presence of his blood would strengthen the spell. He held out his hand.

Ivan took it in his and brought a knife from one of Arthur's sets, made for this kind of thing, to Alfred's palm. He focused his powers into his hand, then released the buildup of energy there, stunning and therefore paralyzing the muscles and nerves in Alfred's hand. Then he pressed the tip of the knife to the center of Alfred's palm and made a small but deep cut, so that the blood would start to pool in his hand but not overflow. Too much blood would have an adverse effect on the spell.

He set the knife to the side and dipped a finger in the blood, then started drawing a small circle around the base of the candle. When he was finished with that he wrote a series of runes outside the circle, then a bigger circle to go around the runes.

He channeled more energy into his hand and cured the temporary paralysis in Alfred's hand, but instead of stopping the flow of energy he continued it, forcing the wound to close quicker. Then he wiped away the blood to reveal a perfectly normal palm.

Alfred stared at his palm once Ivan released it, amazed by Ivan's ability. He had never seen Demon magic, nor had he seen Ivan use his powers before, so this was intriguing to him. How he wished it was under different circumstances.

Ivan began the incantation to the spell, strange foreign...words?...filling the quite air. The language was rough, harsh sounding, and Ivan sounded almost angry when he spoke it. There was a pause in the words in which his blood around the candle started reacting to the spell, lighting up and glowing white. It must have been unusual because Ivan furrowed his eyebrows and frowned, but continued.

His last word had that tone of finality to it, and then two things happened simultaneously.

An incredibly tense energy filled the room and his blood along with the talismans flared black.

Then the lights shut off.

Despite the fact that it was only a little after lunch, the windows were black. It was like the room had been separated from reality and thrust into a dimension of absolute darkness.

Alfred looked around, panicked and confused. Was this supposed to happen? "Ivan?" he called, "Is this supposed to happen?" He couldn't even see Ivan, and he was right in front of him! He was starting to freak the fuck out.

"No—at least, it didn't for me. Everyone's different but this...the energy in the room is horrible. What do you think of it Arthur?"

Although he didn't show it on the outside, all Arthur felt on the inside was horror. Horror at what he had allowed to happen, and horror at what would probably end up happening. How could he had overlooked something like this? _The dream was hurting Alfred,_ his mind supplied, _helping him was the only concern. Besides, the spell should have worked._ But the spell had not worked, because Arthur was an idiot. He should have known that a spell recommended by a Demon was demonic in nature. And normally that wouldn't have mattered. But this was not a normal situation, _Alfred_ was not a normal human. In fact, he wasn't human. What Arthur had overlooked was that Alfred was an Angel, and any spell that was demonic would backfire, as an Angel's spell would to a Demon.

"I think we need to get out of here, right now. The spell didn't work, at least not in our favor." Arthur stood up and felt Francis stand up as well, since he couldn't see him. The only one who could see anything was Ivan, as the energy in him swirled in his eyes and penetrated the darkness. He was currently helping Alfred stand up, then grabbed Matthew's arm and tugged him to Alfred, so they could grip each other.

"Why, what's wrong? What has happened?" Francis asked, but Arthur waved the questions aside. "We need to escape first, then I can answer questions."

"I don't understand why this is happening," Ivan said, sounding frustrated. "It should have worked, everything went right."

Now Arthur was stuck. "That's because you don't know the whole story."

"Then—" Ivan was interrupted as, very suddenly, dim red light coming from nowhere illuminated the room, letting its occupants see each other and the new additions. There were bodies littering the floor.

Alfred, Matthew, and Francis gasped, Alfred and Matthew sounding horrified and Francis sounding surprised. Arthur and Ivan were surprised as well but not nearly as much; they were used to the sight of bodies.

"T-they're from m-my dream," Alfred stuttered out, everything about him screaming 'scared'. As Matthew looked at all the bodies, he hugged his brother, both for comfort and to comfort. "Oh, Alfie, is this what you saw? I'm so sorry."

Alfred turned his attention to Ivan, terrified expression morphing into an almost betrayed one. "I thought you said that nothing would happen," he accused. "I thought you said everything would be alright!"

"I don't know what's happening! None of this is normal for the spell. It was a basic spell to banish dreams and troubling thoughts. Whatever is happening is not caused by the spell itself." Ivan was hurt by Alfred's words. Did he think Ivan did this on purpose? He could never scare Alfred on purpose; Ivan liked his happy expression too much for that.

"It's not Ivan's fault Alfred," Arthur said, drawing the trio's attention, "It's my fault. I...I had forgotten something that would have predicted this outcome, and I would have prevented this from happening. I wasn't thinking straight."

Right as Arthur finished speaking the lights shut off again, only to turn back on a second later. A new addition had been added to the room. "Uh..." Ivan pointed behind Alfred and Matthew, and when they turned around they yelled out in fear(Alfred) and surprise(Matthew). Alfred grabbed Ivan's arm and pulled him in front of him while moving behind Ivan, leaving him to look into his own face.

The Ivan from Alfred's dream was standing by the wall, not moving and not saying anything. His eyes were open and focused straight ahead, glowing violet like Alfred had said. Ivan looked...himself, he guessed, over, noting the torn and stained fabric and how beat down he looked. Why would Alfred dream about him in such a way?

"What is it?" Matthew asked, looking at Arthur. Arthur sighed. "Like the bodies, it is just an apparition, not real but visible to us."

"So then—" he was interrupted by the lights once again shutting off, but they stayed off.

Matthew felt the air around him tense before he was violently shoved against a wall by an unseen force. He cried out in pain when his back made contact with the wall. He heard Alfred yell, "Mattie!" and tried to go over to Alfred but he couldn't move. He was pinned to the wall.

Arthur and Francis had suffered the same, but Arthur was officially panicking. If it had this much power, they were in for more trouble than he had thought. He felt guilt and self-disgust. The guilt was for what Alfred would no doubt experience later on and the self-disgust was for not stopping it beforehand.

Ivan felt the air around him tense and spark with energy, but it didn't touch him. He saw Matthew, Arthur, and Francis being propelled into the walls, but he didn't know what caused it, until he heard "Ivan..." and turned around.

And stared.

There was a man standing behind Alfred, one hand on Alfred's chest, above his heart, and one hand gripping his jaw and forcing his head to the side, leaving his neck open for the man to nuzzle against. Ivan could honestly say he did not expect this. They had the same sunshine hair and the same skin tone, a beautiful tan, but the eyes were so different. Whereas Alfred's were warm and expressive and so, so blue, like the Summer sky, the other's were guarded and cold and hard as steel.

But that didn't change the fact that the other man had Alfred's face.


	9. Chapter 9

**The second Alfred _is_ Alfred, just from a different time line, which will be explained later. He looks like Alfred though, just his personality is different: darker and more manipulative.**

* * *

He couldn't see anything in the pitch black darkness surrounding him, but he could feel. His breathing was accelerated and his hands trembled at his sides. Whoever had a hold of him was pressing too hard against his chest, as if trying to melt through the skin to reach the precious organ underneath. The hand on his jaw was hot and firm, making it impossible for him to turn his head except for the slightest of movements. He wished the light would return.

Once he got over his surprise Ivan moved into a defensive stance, feet spreading apart slightly for better balance and mind tense, ready for sudden movements. He didn't have all the powers a full-blooded Demon would, but he had learned how to use what he did have to his advantage. He was strong, built bigger than most Demons tended to be, and he used the energy within him to amplify the strength of his attacks, whether it be from his hands or a weapon.

Although he could see just fine through the darkness, there was space around Alfred that was blocked by something.

They continued staring at each other, Alfred looking lost as he stared up at the ceiling and the second Alfred looking right at him with narrowed eyes and a small smirk.

The lights flashed on at last, and the room had changed once again. The dream Ivan was standing by the other wall now, behind the two Alfreds. The bodies had disappeared.

The space around the two that he had thought was blocked was actually occupied by two black wings, which curled around the two of them. He had never seen wings like that except for in books, because the beings they belonged to had been extinct before he was born. They were an Angel's wings, but never, in any of the books about Angels, had he seen black ones.

Matthew and Francis were confused about what they saw, and Arthur was even more worried. _Not good, not good at all,_ he thought. He was hoping beyond hope that the apparition behind Alfred was not who he feared it was.

"Who are you," he said, breaking the suppressing silence that had filled the room.

The second Alfred turned to look at him, smirk widening. "I'm your little boy, Arthur," he responded, and suddenly he was right in front of Arthur, Alfred released from his hold.

Alfred, movement not restricted any longer, ran over to Ivan, into his arms and clutching at his shirt. Ivan was surprised by the sudden arm-full of Alfred he got, but wrapped a hand around his back. He left one hand open for defense.

The second Alfred paid no attention to the exchange, standing in front of Arthur and observing him. "You know, I almost forgot how you looked alive," he said looking at Francis now as well. "You all look so much better alive. It almost makes me regret killing you." He disappeared from in front of them to reappear in front of Matthew. "Especially you, Matthew," he said, something akin to sadness in his voice, "it was especially hard for me to kill you, what with all your begging and crying. I did it though, with Ivan's help too!"

Ivan let a confused expression form on his face. What?

"Do not spread your lies, whore. You know very well it was you who murdered your family and you alone. I will not be used as a player in your mind games." Everyone's attention snapped to the dream Ivan, who had not spoken before then. Ivan wasn't even sure he _could_ speak.

Aforementioned 'whore' turned to look at the dream Ivan, a pout on his face. "Come on Ivan, are you still upset about that? I said I was sorry, didn't I? Believe it or not, I'm doing this for us." He didn't seem offended or mad about being called a whore.

"Your miserable excuse for an apology was a joke and I know that you did not really mean it, nor do you now. You can't fool me with innocence anymore, Al; I know what you really are." The dream Ivan was radiating waves of anger, but his face was skillfully controlled to show no emotion.

"Oh? What am I then?" Al said, turning completely from Matthew and sauntering up to the dream Ivan, stopping right in his personal space. Ivan did nothing but say, "A lying, deceiving murderer who only cares about himself."

Al shivered, wings fluffing up and eyes fluttering shut. "Oh, Ivan, you know how that talk gets me. I don't think this is an appropriate time though," Al said teasingly, making Ivan scowl and growl, "Get away from me."

The five other people in the room looked on, transfixed by the disaster of a relationship the mysterious apparitions seemed to have.

Ivan was tired of waiting in suspense and decided to repeat Arthur's question. "Who are you?" he said, "Why are you here?"

Al turned around and stared at him, eyes raking up and down his form. He glanced back at his Ivan then back to the real one. "You look so much better when you're not leashed babe," he said, speaking to the dream Ivan and ignoring the low "Do not call me that."

Ivan grit his teeth, annoyed by the way the second Alfred—Al, as he heard the other Ivan refer to him as—kept changing the subject. "Enough! Tell us who you are!" he yelled.

Al's expression darkened but then immediately lightened up. He held his hand out, towards him and Alfred, and said, "Come here."

Alfred let go of Ivan's shirt and began to walk over to his doppelganger, but by his expression he was not doing so by his own free will. "Ivan, do something!"

Ivan grabbed Alfred's arm but let go a second later. He stared at the burn on his hand, the _burn_ on _his hand_. Demon's did not get burned, no matter if they were whole or half. Their core, the very energy which gave them life was produced in the fires of Hell. The only thing that could burn them, to his knowledge, was an Angel's flame, but that would have to mean that one of the Alfred's either _was_ an Angel or had angelic powers.

Neither option made much sense.

Once Alfred was in front of him, Al gripped his shoulders and spun him around, so they were once again back to chest. "Isn't it obvious?" Al said, resting his chin on Alfred's incredibly tense shoulder. "I'm Alfred and that's Ivan over there, but you all probably guessed that right?"

No one spoke or looked amused by his light tone, but it didn't perturb him. He let Alfred go, but only physically; he kept his influence up, forcing Alfred to stand there. "I don't have to explain myself to you," Al said, "You'll find out in time." He also dropped Arthur, Francis, and Matthew from the walls, startling them and making them lose their balance at the sudden drop.

They moved closer to Ivan, Alfred whining from where he was stuck. "W-what do you want with me? Why are you doing this?" he asked, afraid.

Al blinked at him, moving in front of him and putting a hand to his cheek, making Alfred flinch before the hand made light contact. "Don't you remember?" he said sweetly, "You're _mine_," Alfred's eyes widened, "and I can do whatever I want to you, or anyone here, for that matter."

He leaned in closer. "As for what I want," he said, "you have something that could really help me n' Ivan out. Our powers are not enough to return to our world and take out the King there. I need yours."

"P-powers? Why would you target me? I don't have any!" Alfred said. That's why? Because of something he didn't even have? He felt like laughing and crying at the same time. _Please let this be a nightmare._

Arthur looked on worried and if he glanced around him he would see that he was not alone. He was pretty sure that Al was referring to Alfred's angelic powers, but that would mean what he feared. Al really was Alfred, just from another time. And from the looks of it, he had been corrupted. "What do we do?" Matthew murmured.

Arthur sighed, thinking of possible ways to break the spell they were in. "Ivan, how do you officially end the spell you were casting?"

"The candle's flame must be extinguished." They looked to the candle to see no flame on its wick.

"What does that mean for us now?" Francis asked. Arthur brought his gaze back up at Al. "We have to get rid of Al and the other Ivan. Once their presence is gone the spell should end," He glanced at Ivan. "Ivan, do you think you can attack Al? His magic doesn't work on you." This surprised everyone.

"It doesn't?" Ivan asked. "I assumed there was a reason I too wasn't pinned to a wall but I didn't think it was because his magic didn't effect me."

"His powers are strong, but half of the energy he draws from is demonic; actually, if my hunch is correct, it is _your_ powers he uses, Ivan. Therefore, his natural energy is imbued with yours, making it impossible for him to influence you in any supernatural way."

"How do you...?" "We need to get rid of them, then I can answer questions, alright?" He wasn't looking forward to that conversation.

"Well, I can try," Ivan said.

"What's this? Arthur hasn't told you?" Al clucked his tongue and looked over at the group, specifically at Arthur. "What have you been doing, hm? Keeping such a part of him from himself, crueler than I could ever hope to be." The other Ivan snorted and Al gave him a pointed look, to which Ivan glared at.

Ivan didn't want to risk hurting Alfred as well, but he couldn't let that hold him back from potentially ending this nightmare.

He moved right as Al turned back to Alfred, disappearing then blinking into existence next to Al, his arm ready to punch Al away from from Alfred.

He was blocked.

Not by Al, but by the other Ivan. He didn't look happy either. It seemed that even if the other Ivan hated Al, he still protected him. The other Ivan had caught his arm a few inches from Al's smirking face. He brought his other hand up to force Ivan way. Ivan cursed and used his leg to kick himself and his counterpart away from one another.

Arthur used this opportunity to summon his staff—thank the heavens(what was left of them anyway) that he could even do that here—and sent a purifying spell towards the other Ivan. He didn't actually know what would work best to dispel the apparitions so he used a purity spell, looking at the situation as cleansing the world from ghosts.

It worked though, hitting the other Ivan as he regained his balance from the kick and making him fade away. But when he looked at Al he realized he probably should have waited until he could have hit them both at the same time.

Al looked pissed.

His eyes were narrowed and his wings were close to his body, as if to protect him. He was looking directly at Arthur. "That," he said, appearing in front of him and force pushing Francis and Matthew to the sides, "is why," he pinned Arthur to the wall by his throat, his feet dangling above the ground, "I killed you first." He dropped his staff and tried to pull Al's hand off his throat, or at least loosen the grasp a little. He was failing though, air barely making it in and out of his lungs.

"I won't kill you now, of course," Al said. "That wouldn't do me any good, now would it?" he hissed the second part, grip loosening slightly. He was so focused on Arthur he let his power over Alfred go.

When he was released, he fell to his knees, Ivan grabbing his arm before he could hurt himself. Ivan slowly lowered him to the ground and knelt next to him, keeping an arm on Alfred's.

"Stop," Alfred said quietly, then raised his voice to yell "Stop! You said you wanted me! Well you can have me! Just...just don't hurt them. Please!"

Al ignored him. "Actually, maybe I should kill you now. This world is obviously different from my own. It'll save me from having to fight you later, as well. Hm, decisions decisions, what to do." Al said, hand squeezing and releasing every couple of seconds. Arthur didn't appreciate the frequent pressure on his neck.

"What am I saying? I'm not going to be the one to kill you." Al looked away from Arthur and to Alfred, "That's your job."

Alfred was horrified at Al's words. "No," he stated with conviction, "I-I'm not you. I could _never_ kill my family!"

"No?" Al questioned, faking a surprised look, "Not even when they lied to you all your life?" Alfred's conviction wavered slightly with his confusion. "What do you mean?" He looked at Matthew and Francis who had remained quiet and now had different degrees of guilt displayed on their faces. Arthur looked the most guilty, sighing and closing his eyes. Alfred was sure he would put a hand to his forehead in a different situation.

"They kept a secret from you; a big secret. Go on Arthur, I think now would be the perfect time to tell Alfred here what he really is." Al loosened his hand more so that Arthur could talk and breath easier.

"What is he talking about Arthur?" Alfred asked. "Is he telling the truth?"

Arthur frowned. "...Yes, he is. But I wanted to tell you; I wanted to tell you so badly but there was never a good time. I was able to tell Francis and Matthew but...it was to protect you! Please understand, I couldn't risk your happiness and safety for something I didn't even know was one hundred percent true." Arthur wished so much that this wasn't happening. This was the worst possible way to tell Alfred about who he was. It would be a miracle if Alfred didn't hate him after this, even though Al's manipulation was the cause.

"When I found you, on the side of the road during my travels, there was a note with you. I don't know who wrote it or how they knew the information they did. It said that you were—well you are, I suppose—an...an Angel."

"...An Angel?" Alfred said, disbelief displayed on his face and in his tone. "I'm an Angel? Like the ones in your stories?" He started shaking his head. "No, that's impossible; I don't believe you. You said they were all dead, that they had killed each other in a civil war. What about powers? I don't have any. They would have showed by now, right?" This was too much. His crazy copy was enough to deal with; being told he was some magical creature from Heaven was pushing his limits. He knew nothing good would come out of telling his family his nightmare.

"You know, I had the exact same reaction when Artie told me. I didn't believe him for one second," Al said, tightening his hold on Arthur so he couldn't interrupt. "But what he says is true. How else do you think I got these bad boys, huh?" He stretched out his wings before returning them to their natural position. "You are an Angel, and not only that but you're the last Angel. That's why I need you, don't you see? I need more of that power to escape the horrible place Ivan and I were banished to."

"Y-you mean t-the—" Arthur wheezed before Al cut him off. "Arthur! You don't want to give away too much do you? I don't think poor Alfie can handle any more information."

Ivan looked down at Alfred when he felt light tremors coming from Alfred's arm, which he still had a grasp of. It looked like he was crying, his whole body shaking and his head down, hiding his face from sight.

"Let go of him." Alfred said. Al raised an eyebrow. "Why should I? What are you gonna—" "I said let him go!" Alfred yelled, standing up and glaring at Al with glowing blue eyes.

Then there was light.

Ivan had to close and shield his eyes from the intensity of the white light. The tense air that accompanied Al was eradicated and replaced by a light so pure and comforting that it was like he was being hugged by Katyusha after one of his nightmares again. But this pure light also brought about feelings of hatred, which confused him, but disappeared as soon as the light did. It faded slowly, until the room was bathed in the rays of the sun. They had been brought out of the darkness.

Ivan blinked open his eyes, letting them focus before standing up. He saw Arthur helping Francis up and Matthew sitting on his knees, staring at something next to him. Ivan followed his gaze and jerked back in surprise. Francis and Arthur looked over when they heard the noise Ivan made and they too stared.

Arthur may have been alive when Angels were, but he had never seen one in his life. It was said that an Angel's presence was the most pure out of every creature, and from what he was feeling, it was true.

Francis and Matthew had never known what Angels were like, because they had both been born long after the Angels had been presumed extinct. They knew information about Angels that all people knew; Angels were nice, kind, beautiful divine beings with golden hearts, who radiated purity and goodness. It wasn't far off the mark.

In Demon lore an Angel was a confusing creature. Natural attraction and repulsion came hand in hand when a Demon confronted an Angel. They were drawn to an Angel's aura like every other supernatural creature, whether on Earth or in the Medium. Demons and beings like them were drawn to Angels for a different reason though. The power they held was so pure that, to Demons, it practically begged to be corrupted and used for the wrong reasons. That was the driving force between the feud Angels and Demons used to have. His mother had told him all this, of when she had faced off against Angels. Ivan hadn't paid much attention to her words, even though he made sure to look attentive. He never thought he would encounter an Angel because they were all gone.

Except for the obvious one standing right in front of him.

Alfred was standing, looking straight ahead and not moving. His eyes were glowing a blue so bright it was almost white, making it impossible to tell where he was looking. There were wings on his back now, fluffy white ones that were pulled in close to his body. His shirt had been ripped upon their appearance(Alfred would be glad that he hadn't been wearing his bomber jacket. He loved that thing). The back had been ripped clean from collar to bottom, only a little bit of fabric holding the shirt around his lower back. The front was intact but hung loosely off his body.

The wings shivered before pulling in even tighter and disappearing with a small flash, his eyes closing as he collapsed.


	10. Chapter 10

The sun had gone down completely by the time they put the living room back to normal and settled down. Matthew was sitting on the couch with Alfred's head in his lap, the rest of his body talking up the remainder of the couch. Arthur sat in one of the chairs in the room, angled towards the couch. Francis was in a matching chair and situated the same way. Ivan was sitting on the floor with his back to the part of the couch on which Alfred's legs lay. His knees where drawn up, his elbows resting on them so he could in turn rest his head in his palms.

It had been this way for a while, silent contemplation taking over everyone's minds. Many thoughts were shared amongst them: _What had happened? Who where they? What will happen now?_ Soon they would begin questioning but for now everyone just had to take a deep breath and try to sort out the events that had just transpired themselves.

Matthew had begun running his hand gently over Alfred's hair, admiring the soft hair that was much like his own. Francis liked to boast that he and Matthew had the softest, most gorgeous locks because they hailed from France. It never failed to rile Arthur up, while Alfred used it as an excuse to dramatically agree and attack his head, petting his hair and agitating Matthew, though he would have a smile on his face when he pushed a laughing Alfred away from him.

Matthew smiled softly at the feelings those memories brought him and focused his eyes on his brother's face, watching his expression for any signs of...well anything, really. It seemed that no dreams haunted Alfred's unconscious sleep. But would he still have the nightmare when he slept regularly? They had tried to get rid of it; now that they had made the perpetrators real, would the dream change?

As he observed Alfred's face, he couldn't help but worry over the future. Now that Alfred's Angel energy had been awakened, what would happen to him? He didn't know how to use his powers. Despite being decades older than Matthew, Alfred had not been privy to his status as an Angel. He had not trained and had not developed the control needed to live normally with such a burden.

Matthew knew that the sudden thrust of supernatural power on one's mind was not something anyone could just get over. A werewolf was a prime example. One day he was a human, the next an unstable, beastly creature who had problems controlling himself in certain situations. After becoming a werewolf, the first thing Francis and he had done was try to get a grip on their animal sides. Resisting the urge to change every night was hard, and almost impossible during a full moon, but they had succeeded.

Alfred's powers were so much stronger than his though. Plus he had a crazy ghost version of himself after him. Would Alfred be able to control himself?

* * *

Francis was in a similar mind set. Despite not knowing Alfred as long as Arthur had, Alfred had quickly warmed up to him and accepted him as a father of sorts. The first time Alfred had called him 'dad' was so casual it was like they really were father and son and he had been doing it his entire life. Matthew and Alfred got along so well too. They were as close to each other as full-blooded brothers would be. It didn't help that Alfred looked like his wife. He was lively and bright and just a warm presence for anyone to be around, which had been the reason for his attraction to his wife.

Would all that change now though? Alfred's life was in danger now, Francis knew this from when Arthur would come to him and tell him of all the things he wanted to tell Alfred but couldn't find the words for. Francis had been patient and encouraged him to tell Alfred, but every time Arthur returned to him he would look miserable and angry. He felt horrible for lying to Alfred for so long and angry at himself for not being able to say the words he needed to. It wasn't Francis's or Matthew's place to tell Alfred either; Arthur had been the one to find him all those years ago. Arthur had raised him to be the man he was. It was only fair that Arthur was the one to tell him. And he had been.

Francis looked over at Arthur and knew he must be feeling crushed by the turn of events. Having to tell Alfred in such a way must have been so hard for Arthur. He wanted to go over there and hug Arthur, tell him everything would be alright and that they were here for each other, and most importantly that they were here for Alfred. Just because he had a ghost double of himself out for his powers didn't mean that his family would abandon him.

* * *

Arthur was staring at Alfred with glossed over eyes, lost in thought. This was his fault. All his fault, but it would be Alfred who paid the price. And if Al got what he wanted, the price would be his life.

Why couldn't he be stronger? He clenched his fists, suddenly angry. _I could have prevented this,_ he thought, _If I had just told Alfred what he was, about when I found him, none of this would have happened. __Now the ghost of a Dark Angel is after him from the forgotten realm, and I...I don't know if I can protect him._

He jerked his gaze away from Alfred's blank face, disgusted with himself. He didn't deserve to look at Alfred right now. He had lied to Alfred all his life, about a big part of his life too, and it had resulted in nothing but trouble._ I couldn't have known though,_ a small part of himself said,_ There is no way I could have known any of this was going to happen because of my decision to hide the truth. I may be a mage but i'm not a seer._ The voice was right, of course. There was no way he could have foreseen this happening.

That didn't lessen his guilt or self-hate. There was one thing he was determined about though. He had vowed to protect Alfred with his life, and he would see that vow through to the end.

* * *

Ivan didn't know what to think.

There was a flurry of thoughts and emotions within him, too many to point out and not enough energy to sort through them. One thought was clear though.

What now?

Alfred was an Angel, an _Angel_, and he was a Demon and they never got along. They were natural enemies, they were incompatible...weren't they?

Ivan was only half Demon. His Demon side was drawn to Alfred now for the wrong reasons, but his human side was drawn to Alfred for the right ones. Alfred was funny, charming, warm, just amazing, and Ivan didn't want that out of his life now that he had it. But despite the strength of his human emotions, his Demon ones managed to influence them just so, just enough to direct an innocent train of thought into sleaze station.

His biggest concern was Alfred's feelings. Now that Alfred had the abilities of an Angel, how would his thoughts and feelings be towards Ivan? Would he want nothing to do with him, because he was a Demon? Would Alfred be able to tell he was only half? Could Alfred look past his demonic side once more and wish for him to stay, like he had when Ivan first told him what he was?

Ivan's head was hurting with all these questions.

* * *

He didn't want to be the one to start this conversation, but he couldn't handle the silence any longer. Matthew wanted some answers.

"Who were they?" he asked, looking up from Alfred's face and to Arthur, who was looking away.

Arthur turned his head to look at Matthew and saw Francis look at him and Ivan lift his head to do the same. Figuring that now was the time he would have to answer questions, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, collecting his thoughts and preparing for the upcoming questioning.

"I don't know their whole story, so I'm not sure how accurate anything I'm about to say is. Everything I have is based from old texts and manuscripts, and from other mages. Al was correct when he said he was Alfred and the other Ivan was Ivan. They are alternate versions of our Alfred and Ivan, from a world where a different set of events took place. From what Al said, the Arthur from his world told him he was an Angel, and it must have been long ago, judging by his control. I am unsure if that was the event which deviated that world from our own or if there was another event which triggered it."

"You said the other Ivan was an apparition, a ghost correct? Was Al one as well?" Francis asked. Arthur fidgeted in his seat.

"Yes, Al and Ivan were are both ghosts, to put it simply. The place they are trapped in would not allow them to be anything else in any world but their own."

"Al said he was banished. Is that where you're talking about? What is it?" Matthew asked this time.

_Clever boy, of course he caught that, _Arthur thought. "You know how there are four realms right?"

"Yeah," Matthew said, "The Human Realm, the Medium, Heaven, and Hell."

"Right, well there's a fifth one."

Francis and Matthew looked surprised, but Ivan didn't. Arthur knew Ivan would probably know of what he was talking about. After all, Demons controlled access in and out of it.

"The fifth realm is referred to as the forgotten realm by mages and witches. It used to be known by the residents of Heaven, Hell, and the Medium. It is called the Dream Realm, named because one enters it when they sleep."

"Dream Realm? If everyone knew about it then why was it forgotten?" Matthew asked, skeptical of this new information. Arthur looked at Ivan.

Ivan shrugged. "Because Demons wished for it," he said. "Demons can directly enter the Dream Realm and haunt dreams, which is how nightmares came to be. The creatures in the Medium would have to solicit a Demon's help if they wanted to enter the Dream Realm. But one day the Demons decided that no one but them should venture there. They stopped helping people enter and eventually people forgot about it."

Matthew looked confused. "But if dream Ivan's a Demon as well, why are they stuck there?"

At this Ivan tensed. It seemed that the other Ivan was a half Demon as well. As long as the truth was coming out, perhaps he should bring them in on his secret, though he was incredibly wary to do so.

"I know why, but you must not tell anyone this information. I have told no one but my sisters, please keep this secret to yourselves." Ivan glanced to the side, at Alfred. "Shouldn't be too hard for you all, right?" He received nods of downcast heads.

"They cannot escape the Dream Realm because my copy is not a full Demon. He is a half-Demon, like I am." It was weird telling people his secret after keeping it hidden for all his life. Strangely liberating, in a way.

He got surprised looks and wondered if more of this conversation was going to be surprising. Considering all they didn't know about Al and the other Ivan, he guessed so.

"Hm, a half-Demon? Yes, I think that would definitely hurt their chances of being able to escape the Dream Realm," Arthur said.

"Why does Ivan hate Al?" Francis said. When the attention switched to him he went on. "Clearly there is something there. Or at least something that used to be there. But that Ivan clearly despised Al. Does this have something to do with Al's...corruption, you said?" He asked Arthur, trying to remember if that was what Arthur had said.

"Yes, it has everything to do with Al's 'fall from grace', if you would." Arthur would have chuckled at his joke if it wasn't in such bad taste. "Ivan, have you heard of a Dark Angel, by any chance?"

"Yes, actually, though only from what my mother had so...enthusiastically told me, and that was long ago. I had asked my sister Katyusha about it, but she said that it was a terrible thing for any Angel involved."

"I'm afraid it is. From what Francis said, about their attitudes, it is completely possible that they were in a relationship before the events which led to their banishment."

Ivan raised his eyebrows, not expecting this. "A relationship? Like, a _relationship_ relationship? A romantic one?"

Arthur sent a small smile Ivan's way, amused by his inquiries. "Yes. This one I think has a lot of explaining before things make sense. Al had said that his Arthur had told him what he was before hand, right? So Al would have known Ivan was a Demon and Ivan would have known Al was an Angel. Yet that didn't stop them from pursuing a relationship. There is no way to speculate on how long ago Arthur told Al he was an Angel, so there is no way to know how long Ivan and Al were together or when they even met.

But somehow, they were taken to Hell. My best guess would be that a powerful Demon wanted Al and his powers for himself, so went to work corrupting him." Arthur sighed, unstoppable images of this happening to Alfred coming to his mind. It tore his heart up to just imagine it.

"Dark Angels are not common. They are an extremely rare creature that is unnaturally alive. Essentially it is a Demon in an Angel's body. The original personality of the Angel is darkened considerably, to match a Demon's. They are tortured with a Demon's energy, forced to accept it. This causes the mental stability they have to collapse, and a new person is born, one who can handle and use the twisted energy within them.

Because Ivan treats Al so poorly yet protects him says to me that it was Ivan's own energy used against his will to corrupt Al into what he is. To Ivan, it is probably like his Alfred died and was replaced by an unstable, cold-hearted copy, and whatever he felt turned to hate for the one who keeps his Alfred locked away." Arthur looked to Ivan when he finished, wondering if he was imagining something like that happening.

"How do you know all this Arthur?" Francis asked curiously.

"Yeah, I though you said they were super rare. Is there really that much information on them?" Matthew asked, voice subdued by the terrible information they had learned.

"You're right Matthew, I did say that. And it's true. I do not know if there has ever been a Dark Angel on this world, and I'm sure that some worlds don't have one at all, while others have more than normal. It is the seers who document this knowledge and lend it out to those who are magically gifted. They are the only beings able to look into the past, present, or future of another world. The Dream Realm can be used to enter another world, but like Al and Ivan, anyone who tries would be a ghost."

There was silence again for a little bit, everyone just taking all the information they had learned in. Ivan still had a few questions but he would need Alfred awake for those to be answered. Speaking of Alfred..."What are we going to tell Alfred when he wakes up?" Ivan said. "I think we covered pretty much everything, but Alfred still knows nothing. Who is going to tell him?"

Everyone looked at Alfred. "I guess...we'll figure that out when he wakes up."

* * *

**A/N-**

**Well we know a lot now, and the four up there know a lot, but Alfred's still in the dark! Not for long though, then the plot to the story can be revealed. I think I answered everything brought up in the last chapter, and I know that more will be answered when we see Al and dream Ivan again.**


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning came slowly, at least to Ivan, since he hadn't slept. Matthew, Francis, and Arthur had fallen asleep in awkward positions in their seats, no doubt going to have odd pains when they woke up. Alfred had finally moved a few times, but otherwise had remained asleep. Ivan had sat by Alfred's legs all night, thinking about all he had learned over and over again. His thoughts only got darker the more he thought about it.

There was a groan to his right and he looked at Arthur, watching as he woke up. Arthur had been the last of the three to fall asleep, around midnight would be Ivan's best guess, and it was now around five thirty, so he suspected Arthur was tired.

Arthur straightened up from his slouched posture, a pained looked on his face as he rubbed his back. "Any changes?" he asked Ivan, reaching over and rifling through a drawer in between the two chairs. He pulled out a corked bottle and uncorked it, drinking a tiny sip of the liquid inside before recorking it and placing it on top of the table between him and Francis, probably to relieve any pains Francis and Matthew might have.

"He's moved a few times but remained asleep," Ivan reported. "Do you think he'll wake up soon?" Ivan asked, glancing at Alfred.

"I think so, yes. Probably within the hour, maybe two," Arthur said. "How do you think he'll react?"

Arthur looked at Ivan, forcing the sleep away to see a nervous look on Ivan's face. Was he..."You mean to your being a Demon now that he's a fully recognized Angel?" Arthur asked.

Ivan nodded. "Do you think he'll want nothing to do with me? We're supposed to be enemies, it is in out nature to not get along. Will he change now tha—"

"Ivan." When he got Ivan's attention, Arthur went on, "Do you think Alfred is the type of person to get rid of something he likes because of some stupid feud he's never even known about? He may be an Angel now, but he's still the same Alfred on the inside."

Ivan dropped his gaze to the floor, thinking over what Arthur had just said. Was he overreacting? Alfred was still the same, wasn't he? If Ivan wanted to continue being with Alfred, despite the troubles Alfred's new status would bring them, why wouldn't Alfred want to do the same? Alfred was a kind man and he wasn't the type to let go of something he liked, even if it went against the norm, in a way.

He looked back up to Arthur. "No," he said with conviction, "I don't think Alfred would conform to rules he's never known and that have not been in use for hundreds of years. He is a selfless person and very caring about other people. I am lucky to have met him."

Arthur smiled at Ivan's words, "I agree Ivan. Alfred is not that kind of person. And I think he would say he feels the same, were he awake."

Ivan opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by a rustling sound. Alfred was fidgeting on Matthew's lap, most likely trying to get comfortable. It seemed he couldn't though, because he finally opened his eyes.

Ivan and Arthur stood up, Ivan helping Alfred sit up properly on the couch and Arthur waking up Francis. Ivan gripped Matthew's shoulder to shake him awake.

"_No, no, I don't want to get up yet,_" he mumbled in French, beginning to curl up on his side of the sofa. Ivan shook a little harder and Matthew opened his eyes, about to glare at whoever was waking him up before he noticed Alfred smiling slightly in amusement at him. It took his brain a second to remember last night's events but when he did he was instantly more awake. "Alfred! You're awake!" He said, leaning over and hugging his brother tightly.

"Calm down Mattie, sheesh, I wasn't out for that long...was I?" He asked. He remembered last night and when he had passed out yelling at Al. He wondered if anything happened after that...whatever it was, now that he thought about it. Why had he passed out?

"Only about eleven hours or so," Arthur replied, handing the corked bottle to Francis, who was rubbing his neck.

"How do you feel?" Ivan asked, a strange look on his face. Alfred blinked at him.

Now this was weird. All of the sudden he was aware of who and _what_ exactly was in the room. He knew Matthew was a werewolf, same with Francis, and he knew Arthur was a mage and Ivan a Demon, but now it was like he _felt_ what they were, in the air around them. He reached out and lightly touched his fingers to Matthew's arm. He expected something to happen but nothing did, which was somewhat disappointing.

"...Alfred? Are you alright?" Alfred looked up from Matthew's arm to his confused face. Alfred looked around and saw everyone else with similar expressions on their faces.

"I...I'm fine," he said, retracting his hand and turning to the other occupants of the room. "So what happened?"

Alfred was sitting on the center couch cushion so Ivan sat on the other side of him, eyes on Arthur, waiting for him to start explaining.

"Well, er...what's the last thing you remember?" Arthur asked, unsure of where to begin.

"I remember yelling at Al but everything after is blacked out."

"Right. Uh..." Arthur really didn't know where to begin, there was a lot to tell. "How do you feel? Different?"

"Different?" Alfred said. Was Arthur referring to the weird feeling that had washed over him when he looked at Ivan? "I guess...yeah, I do. It's like, all of a sudden I just know what you all are, even though I already knew. It's just your...I don't know, auras, or something. People have those right Arthur?" Alfred couldn't say he paid attention to every one of Arthur's lessons, so some concepts of magic and supernatural he only had a vague idea pertaining to.

"Yes, very much so. That is one of the abilities Angel's have, to be able to sense others' aura." Arthur hoped Alfred reacted minimally to the casually thrown in remembrance he was an Angel.

Alfred thought about that. Something Angel's could do huh? He wondered how...he would...be...able to...

What.

"What! So what Al said was true? I really am an A-Angel?"Alfred exclaimed, then narrowed his eyes at Arthur. "You lied to me then. All my life just like he said! How could you have kept this from me?" He couldn't settle on one emotion so he embraced them all, feeling hurt, angry, and deceived.

"I'm sorry Alfred, you have to believe me! I wanted to tell you, so badly but I just...I couldn't find the words! You were so happy as a child, I didn't want to risk telling you and having you potentially unlock them yourself; that would have put you in danger you weren't and _aren't_ ready for." Arthur was desperate to get Alfred to believe him. He only wanted what was best for Alfred, he didn't want his boy to hate him, or think he couldn't trust him anymore.

Arthur made sense, and Alfred could see why he did what he did, but that didn't stop his feelings of hurt and anger. "Let's just talk about what happened with Al and dream Ivan and we can discuss this later, okay?" Alfred wanted to talk about it but he also wanted to know what happened.

Arthur nodded and asked Alfred what he wanted to know first. Alfred thought for a little bit before he asked, "Who were they and why did Al want my powers?"

Well he never was one to beat around the bush.

* * *

Alfred sat at the kitchen table, alone and thinking about all he had learned. Ivan had gone home with the promise of returning the next day with questions of his own. He had seemed distracted by his thoughts, clearly troubled by them, so Alfred had tugged him into a quick kiss before saying he looked forward to it. Ivan had looked much better as he walked away.

Now he sat thinking about Al and dream Ivan. They were in a situation that was not their fault, and he felt sorry for them. He had seen how Ivan treated Al; he must have been devastated by the way his powers were used to hurt someone he cared deeply about. Alfred didn't know long they had been together, nor did he know if they used to be in love, but he knew that _he_ would hate to see anything bad happen to Ivan. He was pretty sure Ivan felt the same.

He heard the chair next to him pulled out from under the table and turned his head to see Francis sitting next to him. He didn't say anything though so Alfred looked back down at the table.

"He's right you know."

"What?" Alfred said, looking back at Francis.

"Arthur. He really is sorry. You know that, don't you?" Francis said, leaning back in his chair.

Alfred set his elbow on the table so he could rest his head on it, facing Francis, his other hand scratching lightly at the table's surface.

"I know he feels sorry but I just...he lied to me Francis. Everyday since he found me. It's hard to accept something like that."

Francis hummed in agreement. "Matthew and I knew as well."

Alfred stopped his scratching. "What? Am I the only one who didn't know! How could he tell you two but not me? Did Ivan know too? Who else knows!" Alfred couldn't believe this. Not only did Arthur not tell him, he told other people!

"No," Francis said, sitting up and putting a hand on Alfred's shoulder, "Ivan did not know before this. No one but Arthur, Matthew, myself, whoever left the note to Arthur, and now Ivan knows what you are."

When Alfred just groaned and put his head on the table, Francis sighed and stood up. Alfred turned his head to look at him and stood up as well, at Francis's urging. Francis pulled Alfred into a hug.

"Arthur cares about you Alfred. I care about you, Matthew cares about you, and I'm sure Ivan cares about you as well. We don't want to see you get hurt, you can understand that, right? Please don't blame Arthur too much, he did what he did because he thought it was right."

Alfred buried his face in Francis's shoulder and brought his hands up to grip the back of Francis's shirt.

Francis smiled and pulled away from Alfred after a moment, spinning him around and pushing him gently towards their room, where Arthur was.

"I think it would be best for you two to sort out this problem as quickly as possible. Just try to keep an open mind, hm?"

Francis was stopped a couple of feet from the door to his and Arthur's room by a hand on his arm. He looked up at Alfred. "Thanks dad." Alfred smiled and knocked on the door, entering when he heard permission to enter.

Francis turned around and walked back to the kitchen, thinking about making lunch and how strong of a person Alfred had grown up to be.

* * *

Arthur had been sitting at his desk with his head in both his palms, and had expected Francis to walk in. When he heard "Dad?" he picked his head up and turned in his chair, seeing Alfred standing in front of the closed door.

"Alfred!" he said, surprised to see him. "What are you...?"

"Francis said we should talk, and I think he's right." Alfred walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, patting the space next to him. Arthur got out of his chair and sat next to him.

"I want to say that I know now why you did it, why you lied for so long. It was to protect me, right?" Alfred watched as Arthur nodded, then continued. "And I can see why you would tell Matthew and Francis. So they could help protect me too, am I right?" Arthur nodded again. "I'm not mad, and I don't hate you at all, if that's what your thinking. You're my dad and I love you, okay? I don't want this to be something bad between us."

Arthur opened his mouth but nothing came out. How had he raised such a boy? He instead closed his mouth and twisted his body so he could hug Alfred tightly. "Oh thank heavens. You don't know how much that means to me, I was so worried you wouldn't forgive me or wouldn't trust me anymore."

Alfred hugged Arthur back, wondering what it was about people hugging him today.

"I wanted to tell you, I truly did, but I just couldn't find the words and..." Arthur let Alfred go.

"I know. And now that the truth is out, we can focus on how we are going to stop the other me from getting what he wants."

Arthur sighed. "One problem for another. I think we should wait until Ivan comes back tomorrow, he was there yesterday and deserves to know what's going to happen next."

"Agreed."

* * *

**A/N-**

**FrUs in any context is so adorable, I always enjoy little moments of it. Next is Ivan and Alfred's chat.**


	12. Chapter 12

The night passed quietly, though he was a little apprehensive to sleep. He didn't know if the dream would change, nor did he know if he would even have the dream still. His family had assured him it would be okay to sleep, and they were right. He had had a nice dreamless sleep, and woke up feeling better than he had in a long time.

The feeling he got around his family was starting to wane in intensity. He was getting used to sensing their supernatural energies, so it didn't bother him anymore. Ivan was different story.

Ivan had arrived shortly before lunch, but Alfred had known he was there before he even knocked on the door.

Arthur and Francis had returned to the restaurant, even though Arthur had not wanted to leave. Francis had persuaded him though, telling him it would be best to leave Alfred and Ivan alone for the time being. Matthew had been much like Arthur, but he too went back to the school.

Alfred had opened the door when Ivan had knocked, and the feeling had gotten stronger upon actually seeing him. He didn't know what to make of it though. He was grateful Ivan had told him he was a Demon before all this happened, even though if Ivan hadn't this probably wouldn't have happened in the first place, but still.

The feelings he had around Ivan and _about _Ivan were different than the ones he had of his family. He suspected it was because Ivan was a different type of being altogether. Arthur had told him that, on a spectrum of energy, Angels were the most pure while Demons were the most corrupt. There were no other creatures that could rival a Demon's energy, and it was likely this reason he felt how he did.

He was still unsure of how he felt about himself though. It was not easy adjusting to the new part of his life. Though he had not actively used any of his powers, he could sense the energy to do so was there, just waiting to be utilized. And at no time was the urge to use his powers strongest than when he was around Ivan.

Hence his complete confusion on how to feel.

* * *

"Are you sure you're alright? You seem distracted. And troubled," Ivan observed, sitting across from him at the kitchen table. Since Ivan had arrived at nearly noon, Alfred had been in the kitchen. He had woken up starving, and it was then he realized he had not eaten anything the day before, due to his worry about the situation he was stuck in.

So he had been making himself lunch when that weird feeling washed over him, then Ivan had knocked. Ivan had declined food so Alfred had finished making his lunch and they had sat down at the kitchen table.

"I'm fine," Alfred said, "just...taking everything in, I guess. There's so much I don't understand, about everything that's happened. I just need a moment, ya know?"

Ivan didn't respond verbally, he only nodded, allowing Alfred his moment before he began.

When Alfred finished his lunch, he pushed his plate away and drank the last of his drink. He set it down and sighed, finally looking up at Ivan.

"Alright," Alfred said, "what do you want to talk about?"

Ivan had been thinking about what to ask Alfred, in relation to their relationship and what would happen next. He thought about it all night. He also thought about how Alfred had kissed him before he left. That had answered some questions and come as a huge relief to him.

"Alfred, you have to know some things about Demons and our history with Angels. I don't want there to be any trouble between us just because we have certain urges around each other." If one of them lost control around the other, it wouldn't be pretty.

Seeing how Alfred was focused on him, he continued, "What Al is, how he got that way, that is what Demons want to do to an Angel's energy; they want to break it down and have it used for their gain. It's a natural instinct for us to want to be enemies."

"But I thought we were different? I mean, before me there weren't any Angels alive, right? You haven't met any Angels and I've only been an Angel for, like, one whole day."

"That is true, but just because I've never seen or been around an Angel, it doesn't mean my reaction to one is different from any other Demon's. Although, I must say there is a slight difference, one that could prove helpful to us in this situation."

Ivan sighed, not even believing how many people he had already told his secret to. But, somehow it was different telling Alfred, almost like he was okay with Alfred knowing.

"I am not a full-blooded Demon. I am only a half-Demon, sired by a human father and raised by a Demon mother. There is a part of me that regards you like, I presume, it would regard every other Angel. But the human part of me is attracted to you because you're you, Angel or not."

Alfred was surprised; this was news to him. He wondered if the others knew. "You're a half-Demon? Huh." Did this information change anything? "Wait, if you're only a half-Demon, does that mean your human side takes away from your Demon one, in terms of how I react to it because of my Angel abilities?" So what he was feeling could possibly be doubled if he ever met a full-blooded Demon? What he felt was already pretty strong...

Ivan hadn't thought about that. "Yes, I suppose that could happen. And it certainly helped that we met and bonded before all this happened."

Alfred sighed and leaned back in his chair, then grabbed his plate and stood up. He walked to the sink and rinsed the dish off before setting it back in the sink. He thought about his next words and all the possible answers they could warrant.

"So, where do we go from here?" he said, turning around and leaning against the counter.

"How about dinner?" Ivan asked.

"What? You mean...?" he thought Ivan said he wasn't hungry.

"Not tonight, but would you like to go to dinner sometime?" Ivan stood up and walked over to Alfred, caging him in by placing both his hands on the counter on either side of Alfred.

"The point I wanted to make is that I want this to continue. Just because we're not supposed to be together doesn't mean I don't want to see you anymore."

He leaned in closer. "I said I would protect you and I meant it, even if it means from myself. You're a good person Alfred. You don't deserve to have all this happen to you." He started leaning away. "I can understand if you don't want to continue seeing me. I won't force you, and I won't pressure you."

He was stopped from leaning any farther away by hands on his wrists, tugging him forward and making him stay. Alfred wrapped his arms around Ivan's neck and just stood there, hugging him. Ivan hesitantly wrapped his arms around Alfred's back.

After a minute or two, Alfred pulled back and loosened his arm's grip, but he didn't let go. He rested his forehead against Ivan's, eyes closed.

"Thank you," he said, opening his eyes and looking into Ivan's, "you've been very understanding and patient. I don't want to give this up because of a past neither of us were involved in. I don't care if you're a half-Demon. I wouldn't care if you were a full-Demon, the way you are, you're not a Demon in heart. You don't belong grouped with those terrible creatures."

Alfred smiled. "Dinner sounds amazing. When should we go?"

Although he looked calm on the outside, on the inside Ivan was shocked. Alfred continued to surprise him, and if it didn't sound so lame, he would say Alfred really was an Angel, with how compassionate and nice he was.

He didn't quite know how to respond, his mouth slightly open, so he instead leaned forward all the way, lips connecting with Alfred's, while simultaneously tightening his grip on Alfred's waist, forcing Alfred to lean back somewhat. Alfred looked surprised at first but quickly melted into the kiss, returning it with just as much force. It was a different kiss than their first and second ones. Whereas those ones had been quick and chaste, this one was anything but.

This kiss was long and rough and arousing as hell, and if they continued he was afraid they might venture into territory they weren't quite ready to explore. So with difficulty Ivan unattached his lips from Alfred's and pulled away from him, though the view he was greeted with almost made him want to tackle Alfred and fuck him right into the kitchen floor.

It took a lot to ignore the lidded eyes, the reddened cheeks and the goofy half-smile that adorned his lips, but Ivan managed.

Alfred gave a short laugh at Ivan's expression. "So, dinner?" Alfred asked with an easy smile.

"How about Friday? Can you get off work?" Ivan had almost forgotten Alfred worked nights. He hoped Alfred would be able to get a night off for their...date? Is that what they had just planned?

"I think I can manage that," Alfred said.

"Perfect."

* * *

It wasn't fair. He found himself thinking that a lot in his life. Why did he have to endure this endless torture while another him got everything he wanted? He had to see that face, that hair and those eyes, that body, all of it yet he could not touch. That _thing_ controlling his Alfred's body was something he hated with all his being, especially because he had created it.

When Al had trapped Alfred in a dream, Ivan had stood in one part of it and stared at Alfred. He was the exact same physically, yet the personalities were vastly different. He could tell, he just knew, that the other world's Alfred was just like how his used to be: funny, sweet, confident.

He missed that.

So he stared at Alfred with a saddened expression, missing what he used to have.

He hated Al. When Alfred had been turned, he wasn't the same. He was a lying cold-hearted slut who did whatever the King wanted of him. That was why he was turned in the first place.

He sighed from where he was standing in the kitchen, invisible to the other Ivan and Alfred discussing their relationship. He wished Al still cared about him, enough to even wonder where he was, but he knew Al didn't care. All Al wanted was to take Alfred's powers to get out of the Dream Realm and take revenge on the King. He would need Ivan around and alive because it was Ivan who was the medium between Al and the demonic energy he used. Al's Angel body could not directly handle demonic energy without it either killing him or driving him insane, so he stole it from Ivan.

Ivan didn't bother to stop him, as he couldn't nor did he want to.

As much as he hated what his Alfred had become, he knew that, somewhere deep down, his Alfred was alive, trapped in his own body and most likely asleep while Al had control. He tried to find a way to change Alfred back but the only way he could think of that might work required the help of another Angel. The problem was that one: he hadn't seen any other Angels wandering the Dream Realm, and two: the only other Angel he could think of was Alfred, who Al was trying to kill.

Why did his life have to be so hard?

He turned his gaze on the fierce make out session that had apparently erupted near the sink and promptly look away. He couldn't watch Alfred be with anyone else, even someone who was essentially him. It just hurt too much, his heart feeling heavy and his mood depressed. Figuring there wasn't any point to continue spying on them he allowed himself to fade away, returning to the place of his banishment and the frustrating person he was stuck with.


	13. Chapter 13

On Friday morning, Arthur woke Alfred up early and took him to a nearby clearing in the forest bordering the town. It was out of the way and there was no one around, but Arthur put up spells meant to direct humans away from their location, just in case. Alfred hadn't asked any questions beforehand, but now he was curious as to why Arthur had dragged him out there.

"Is there a reason, to this? Why'd you wake me so early and bring me here?" Alfred was sitting on a tree stump, watching as Arthur went around the clearing and cast his spells. He looked silly to Alfred.

Arthur walked up to Alfred, thinking of the best way to reveal his intentions. "Yes, there is a very important reason why I've brought you here. I'm going to teach you how to use and control your power." Arthur had visited the Medium several times to seek out the seers and other mages, older ones who could help him.

He searched for descriptions of Angel's in action, how they battled and what they used. He would have liked to have heard a Demon retell a battle with an Angel, but Demons usually only helped other creatures when it was to their gain, so he didn't even try to ask one.

He had read up on as much as he could find between when Alfred had woken up to now, and he was confident he could at least get Alfred to bring his magic to the surface. They had plenty of time before Alfred had to leave for his dinner later on. His main concern was making sure Alfred could protect himself at least a little bit.

Alfred sat up straighter with a shocked look on his face. "What?" Well this had come out of nowhere. He could have used a little warning. He wasn't entirely sure he was ready to confront this new side of himself yet.

"The pure magic you have as a result of being an Angel," Arthur looked at him seriously, "I'm going to teach you how to control it and use it in times of trouble."

"Trouble?" now Alfred looked concerned, "You don't think anything's going to happen, do you?"

Arthur sighed and looked out into the forest, noticing wild animals gathered around the border where his spell was.

"Look at those animals," he said. Alfred turned his head and saw many wild animals seemingly watching them. It was a little creepy and a lot strange.

"Why are they here?" Alfred said, watching as squirrels, wild rabbits, wild deer, and birds gathered along the edge of the clearing.

"Because of you," Arthur said, looking back at Alfred and receiving a confused look. Arthur elaborated.

"These animals are drawn to you because of your presence. They can sense the purity around you and are naturally drawn to it. They are not the only ones. There are many supernatural creatures out there who are similarly drawn to you, but for the wrong reasons. Even Demons will be drawn to you, though they are also repulsed. This is why you need to learn how to protect yourself. Francis, Matthew, Ivan, and myself will not always be around to help you, so you need to know how to use your power."

Alfred stared at him.

Arthur smiled, "Here, stand up." Alfred obeyed, taking his jacket off as well, and Arthur took his hand, leading him to one side of the clearing. He let go and went to the other side, facing Alfred. "Now," he instructed, "I want you to search for the power within you. You can feel it right? Lurking just under the surface, like it's right there, ready for use?"

Alfred closed his eyes and focused on the strange feeling he'd had all week, like he was restless and needed to expel energy somehow, though nothing worked. He zeroed in on it and let it wash over him.

Arthur was treated to an incredible sight.

When Alfred had unlocked his magic, he had had wings, but they had disappeared when he had passed out. Since Ivan had been standing closest to him it had been Ivan who had caught Alfred's body, giving a clear view of his back, where they had expected a tattoo or mark of some sort to have been, but nothing was there.

Now Arthur understood why. It appeared that Alfred _did _have markings on his body, they were just invisible most of the time, except for when Alfred used his magic.

Alfred was wearing a short sleeve shirt and jeans, his jacket by the stump he had been sitting on. Simple lines ran down and around his arms, glowing a nearly white electric blue. It looked like the magic lit up the markings when it was in use, and hid them when it wasn't.

From the faint glow beneath his clothing, Arthur would guess the markings ran down Alfred's body as well. "Good Alfred, that's very good," he said. "Now, open your eyes without loosing focus."

Alfred opened his eyes slowly and directed them to Arthur, who nodded his head when he saw them. They were glowing as well, no part of his eye discernible, just like Arthur had predicted. The wings were apparently not tied to magic use, so he would have to work with Alfred later on how to release them. Now that he thought about, maybe Ivan could help there, or even Francis and Matthew, if the wings were anything like their wolf transformations.

Alfred continued to look at Arthur without loosing his focus, feeling invigorated. It felt like all his nerves had been struck by lightning, his senses hyper-aware of everything around. He didn't know his eyes were glowing because everything looked normal to him, better even. "This is..." he trailed off, not knowing how to describe what he was experiencing. "Wow," he finally said.

Arthur chuckled at that. "Yes, I can imagine it feels great, uplifting and energizing. Other magic wielders feel a similar way when performing magic." He remembered the first time he had controlled magic, how it had coiled around him and bent to his will. His mentor had been very proud.

He brought his hand up to adjust his glasses and noticed the markings on his skin. "Whoa, what are these?"Alfred asked, eyes tracing the line that started from a hollow circle on the back of his hand and wrapped around his arm until it disappeared beneath his sleeve.

"To be honest I'm not sure what they are. Angels were very elusive creatures who avoided confrontation. My best guess is that they are some kind of cultural markings all Angels are born with. They are invisible until you use your magic."

Alfred looked at his tattoos—that's what they essentially were, right?—and refocused on Arthur. "Alright, now what?"

Arthur put his hand in front of him palm up and focused magic into it. Transparent, silver colored energy swirled around his hand. "This is what it looks like when magic is concentrated in one part of the body. The magic builds until it is visible, guaranteeing a stronger spell. A lot of spells, depending on their nature, have different colors to them. I do not know if the concept is the same for Angel magic, so all spells you cast may appear the same blue as your markings. I want you to try concentrating magic into your hand."

Alfred looked down at his hand, trying to direct the flow of magic in him towards his hand. He looked up at Arthur's hand, then looked back at his, narrowing his eyes in concentration. When blue magic gradually surrounded his hand, like a candle wick catching flame, he couldn't contain his smile.

This felt...natural. He felt as though he'd been doing this all his life. The magic had heat to it, a soothing warmth in his palm. When Arthur told him what they were going to be doing he had been worried he wouldn't be able to do much, or he would be frustrated easily, but this felt so _right_ he wondered if all magic was this easy to wield.

"Very impressive," Arthur said, expression matching the tone of his voice. "I suspect your ease comes from the fact that the magic you control is produced naturally within your body as opposed to borrowed from the elements around."

Arthur swiped his hand in front of him, creating a reflective shield. He stepped out from behind it and gestured to it. "This is a weak protective barrier created from a protection spell. I want you to throw the magic in your hand at it, like you're throwing a baseball."

"Alright." Alfred responded. He stepped back to get into a proper stance and brought his hand back, aiming then letting the magic go. It soared through the air with no distinct shape and hit the protective shield, breaking clean through it but disappearing before it struck the ground. The shield cracked around the hole broken through it before falling to pieces and disintegrating before any of them hit the ground.

"What does that mean?" Alfred asked.

"Your hit was strong enough to break through the shield but all the energy in the spell was used up. The shield could also not handle that amount of energy."

He moved back to his original position and created another shield. "This shield is stronger than the last one. Throw your magic at it again."

Alfred nodded this time and collected magic back in his palm, then got back in the throwing stance. He threw it harder this time, the energy looking more spherical as it headed toward the shield. It hit the shield and faded away, multiple cracks appearing on the shield, but it was still up.

"Your spell was strong enough to crack the shield but not to break through it. Throw another one."

Alfred complied and this time the spell passed through the shield and hit the ground, searing the grass there. The shield was shattered instantly upon impact.

Arthur thought about how strong Alfred's magic was compared to his. He decided to try something else, something a lot of mages used when casting spells. He summoned a wooden sword used for training magic wielders with a knack for using weapons as a stronger method of attack.

He walked over and handed the sword to Alfred, who had relaxed his focus on his magic, his appearance therefore returning to normal.

"This is a special sword used to train certain types of mages. There are properties applied to the wood that allows magic to be channeled through it extremely easily. Magic builds up in the wood and is released when the sword is swung, creating a slash of energy instead of a ball. Some mages find this method easier and more effective than the alternative, though they use staffs instead of swords. Angels have also been recorded as battling with weapons."

"So I just focus magic into the sword instead of my hand?" Alfred asked, a little lost.

"No, you still focus magic into your hand, the difference is that the magic will automatically be redirected into the wood. Try it."

Alfred did so, focusing on his hand again, his tattoos lighting back up. He felt the magic in his hand for a second before he felt it pulled into the sword. The sword was now surrounded by magic, swirling around it and his hand.

"Very good," Arthur said, returning to the opposite side of the clearing and putting up another shield. "This is the same strength as the last shield. When you're ready I want you to swing the sword at the shield."

Arthur stepped away again and Alfred tested the weight of the wood. He stepped into position and swung the sword hard, a slash of energy rocketing toward the shield. It hit and both the shield and the energy disappeared.

"Hm, it seems using the sword makes your attacks a little stronger." There was one other way some magic wielders attacked and he wondered if it would benefit Alfred. He walked back over to Alfred and took the sword, sending it back from where it came from. He looked at Alfred.

"There is one other way magic wielders attack. I want you to try it." He created another shield in front of Alfred this time. "When you feel you've gathered enough magic, I want you to punch the shield."

"Punch it?" Alfred asked, "How is that any better than the other ways?"

Arthur stepped behind Alfred. "I will explain if this works."

Alfred rolled his eyes and turned to face the shield. He admired its transparent silvery surface for a moment, then gathered more energy into this hand. He clenched his fist and noticed the way his magic seemed to...tense almost, as if waiting for something. He brought his fists up and let one go, connecting with the shield.

The shield shattered rather explosively, his hand going right through it as the pieces of the shield fell and faded away. His hand still had magic in it as well.

"What does—hey!" Arthur dragged Alfred over to the line of trees by his arms, positioning Alfred in front of a sturdy looking one. "Punch this tree," Arthur said.

"Why—?" Alfred began but Arthur cut him off. "Punch this tree then I promise to explain." Arthur moved behind Alfred again.

"Fine," Alfred huffed. He channeled energy back into his fist and punched the tree as hard as he could.

Which was very hard, it seemed.

The tree splintered violently where his fist made contact. His magic had torn the tree in half, the part above where he had struck falling away from them, leaving behind a tall mangled stump.

Alfred gaped at the sight.

"It seems we have found your method of attack," Arthur said, smirking at Alfred. "That's some punch there."

Alfred looked at Arthur. "So what, I have super strength, or something?" How could he have punched through a solid tree? The shield's strength hadn't really meant anything to him because it was magic based, but the tree brought him a sense of just how powerful his punches were now.

"In a sense, yes, you do. When you clench your fist, the magic tightens around itself, becoming stronger. It builds and builds until it is released in one violent burst. I'm pretty sure this will happen if you kick something as well."

"That..." Alfred said, bright smile forming on his lips, "...is so cool! I have super strength? Awesome!"

"There is another thing you can do with it as well, you don't have to punch or kick only," Arthur said, picking up a well sized rock.

"This time, instead of focusing magic into just your hand, try to focus it to your whole body. It might be more difficult because just having the magic already feels like that but if you can do it to your hand you can do it to your body."

Alfred looked at the ground in thought. "Can you show me?" he said, looking back up at Arthur.

"Of course," and with that green energy outlined his person. It was less transparent than the silver magic and seemed more lively, if that word could be applied to magic. "This is curing magic. All cure and health magic appears green."

"Whoa," Alfred said, inspecting how the magic flowed both by its own means and under Arthur's command. "I think I can do that."

He closed his eyes again and focused on his body instead of just his hand, feeling everything from the wind to the hard ground beneath his feet. After maybe a minute of not feeling any different he gave up and opened his eyes. "Can you give any advice to make this easier?" he asked Arthur, who had let the magic go.

Arthur crossed his arms and eyed the ground, trying to put how he did it into words Alfred could understand.

"Think of it like your magic is just underneath your skin, waiting to be released. Try to imagine slowly bringing your magic out around you until every part of your body feels the same. I'm afraid that's the best I can do."

Alfred nodded, keeping his eyes open as he brought his hand up to his face. Something Arthur had said made him think of an easier way to start out with, if it worked. He channeled magic into his hand like he had been doing. When he was finished he focused on moving the energy down his arm until his elbow was surrounded by magic as well. He continued enveloping small parts of his body until all of him was covered in magic.

"Well done Alfred, that was very good," Arthur smiled at him, "For now we will continue but we'll be practicing how to include your entire body at one time later."

"Here," he handed the rock to Alfred and gestured to another tree, "I want you to get a good, solid grip on that rock then throw it at the tree, okay?"

"Sure," Alfred said, waiting until Arthur got behind him again before turning to the tree. He tightened his grip on the rock and noticed how his magic seemed to tense again, like when he clenched his fist before. He brought his hand up and threw the rock as hard as he could at the tree.

Which was, once again, extremely hard.

The rock sailed straight through the center of the tree and continued past, hitting a number of trees and leaving more holes, until it finally embedded itself in a tall rock.

Alfred was, once again, left gaping at the sight.

"It seems you've got the hang of it," Arthur commented, "This method of attack will be applied to other objects as well. Poles, bats, anything you can swing or throw can become a deadly weapon."

Alfred just turned his shocked face to Arthur, who smiled and tugged on his arm, bringing Alfred back to his spot at one side of the clearing.

"Come on, we'll practice some more then break for lunch."

* * *

Alfred dropped to his knees, breath rapid and sweat trickling down his face. They had trained for a little bit before lunch, then Arthur really started working him. They practiced more punches and moved on to kicks, they worked on getting Alfred to surround his whole body with magic at once, they practiced swinging objects found around the clearing and forest, and Arthur had him test how strong his punches were against various shields. Suffice to say, Alfred was exhausted.

Using magic at first had been great. The magic almost jumped out of him, eager to be released. But as he continued expelling it he found that it took more and more concentration to control it. It was not only physically tiring but mentally tiring.

Arthur walked up to him and crouched down, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Alfred didn't respond until he got his breathing under control. "Yeah," he said, "I'm fine, just tired. I never knew magic could be so exhausting."

Arthur sat down next to him and snorted. "You should try learning how to use magic when it's borrowed instead of naturally produced."

"You've mentioned borrowing magic before," Alfred said, breathing normally again, "What does it mean to 'borrow' magic?"

"I've never explained that?" Arthur said, looking at Alfred then out into the clearing. "Well, there are many different ways to use magic. There are beings like you who produce magic within their bodies, there are beings like Al who steal magic from other creatures, and there are beings like me, who take magic from nature and use it as our own. There are more ways but these are the most common.

Beings who produce magic themselves have a lot of control over it already, as you experienced, even if they've never done magic before. Since it is their own, the magic usually follows their commands completely.

Beings like Al cannot directly contain the magic they use, so they steal it from someone who can use it, the other Ivan in this case. Although they cannot hold the magic themselves they can be extremely good at controlling it.

Beings like me, or mages, do not produce magic naturally and nor do we steal it. Well I suppose some mages might steal magic but we won't focus on that. To make up for the loss of magic within us, we use the magic around us instead. The Earth produces its own magic, in fact there is a nearly infinite supply around the planet. The Medium has more magic than Earth due to the advances the inhabitants there have made with it. The only places we can't draw magic from are Heaven and Hell, simply because the magic there is too strong for our bodies to handle. No matter how long a mage trains they will never be able to use Angel or Demon magic; our bodies just cannot handle it."

Arthur glanced at Alfred. "Does that answer your question?"

"Yes but, what happens if I run out of magic? Can that even happen?"

"Yes, it can. You will most likely pass out and be tired for many days while your body makes more. I believe it is similar to losing a lot of blood and having to rest for a while."

Arthur stood up and held his hand out to Alfred, who took it and stood as well.

"Alright, we've been working with just offense, now I think we should move onto defense. Do you want to start right now or do you want to go back home and rest before your dinner?"

Alfred rubbed his arm which he was sure would be sore later on. "What time is it?" he asked.

Arthur glanced at his watch. "It is just past five."

Alfred stretched and thought about how he felt and if he wanted to continue. "I think I want to rest a bit. My dinner's at seven thirty but I think i'm going to take a nice long hot shower." Alfred closed his eyes, "Oh, that sounds so good right now."

Arthur nodded and patted Alfred on the back. "You did very well today," he said as they started walking back to town.

Alfred smiled at him. "Thanks dad. It's because I have such a great teacher."

Arthur brought his hand that was still on Alfred's back to his head, ruffling his hair affectionately before pulling him into a sudden head lock, ignoring Alfred's protests. "That's right, and don't you forget it. I'll put you in your place in a second, you hear me?" He laughed as Alfred readily agreed just to get out of the head lock. Finally Arthur let him go.

"Jeez, crazy old man," he muttered. Suddenly serious, Arthur put his hand on Alfred's shoulder. "You know I'll always be here for you, right?"

Sensing the mood, Alfred said softly, "Of course dad."

"Alright," Arthur nodded, "let's go back home."

* * *

After taking that long hot shower Alfred was feeling much better. Arthur had given him something to help the muscle soreness and he wasn't feeling as tired either. The restaurant they were going to wasn't super fancy, or fancy at all really, so he just wore a plain white t-shirt and black jeans. As much as he loved his bomber jacket, he didn't feel it went well with his black jeans, so he borrowed one of Matthew's black button up jackets, which he wore open.

He was ready a little sooner than he thought he would be, so he decided to leave early. He would be meeting Ivan at the restaurant so he didn't have to wait for anything.

He yelled he was leaving, receiving acknowledgments from around the house. He walked out into the cold Winter air towards the restaurant, taking his time as he was in no hurry.

He looked up into the night sky. It had been getting darker earlier where they lived, but then it always got darker earlier in the North. The sun had already gone down about three hours ago.

He was so distracted that he didn't notice the stranger walking by him until they accidentally bumped shoulders, bringing him out of his thoughts. "Sorry man! Didn't see you...there," Alfred trailed off when the other person didn't stop or acknowledge him. "Okay then," Alfred turned back around and hurried to the restaurant, feeling a shiver run down his spine and missing the stranger glancing back and watching him with narrowed, slitted eyes.

He arrived at the restaurant early, which meant Ivan wasn't there yet, so he got a table and told the waiter he was expecting another person, a tall man with silvery hair. The waiter nodded and said he would tell the hostess to look out for him. The waiter took his drink order and went off.

When the waiter returned it was with both his drink and Ivan, who thanked the waiter and sat down across from Alfred. He ordered a water and the waiter left again. "Hey Ivan," Alfred said.

"Hello Alfred. It's nice to see you again, I hope these few days have been trouble free?"

Alfred was practically bouncing in his seat he was so excited to tell Ivan about his day. "Today was the busiest day for me, you won't believe what happened!"

Ivan's eyes bobbed up and down in sync with Alfred's bouncing form. "I can see that whatever it is must have you very excited."

"Yeah, today was so cool, Arthur started training me, on how to use my uh..." he looked around to see if anyone was in range of hearing him, "...abilities," he went with.

"Oh?" Ivan was interested to hear how this went, "And how did it go with your..." he mimicked Alfred, just to tease him, "...abilities."

"Oh it was so cool! Arthur showed me how to use my power to attack. Demons use magic right? So you know about it?"

Ivan nodded, "Yes, we can use magic."

"Great, so Arthur had me practice just bringing the magic out first," Alfred paused when the waiter returned with Ivan's water and asked if they were ready. They asked for more time and he left. "He had me throw it at this shield he put up, a weak one I think he said. We did that until he had me try out this wooden sword. He said it was easy to use with magic?"

"Yes, there are Demons who use swords or similar weapons as well. For some it works better and for some it is a hindrance." Ivan said, looking up from his menu.

"Right, well the sword made my attacks a little stronger but Arthur said there was another way to attack and he wanted to try it, to see if it worked better for me," Alfred paused to examine his menu some more.

"Let me guess," Ivan said, "Combining magic with physical force."

"Yes!" Alfred looked so excited it was hard for Ivan not to smile. He could be so animated when he spoke of something he liked, it was a quality Ivan found endearing.

The waiter returned at that moment and they ordered, a burger for Alfred and a pasta dish for Ivan. When the waiter left Alfred continued.

"It was amazing, like I have super strength or something! I can totally punch a tree in half, and not a small one but a thick one. He also had me throw a rock and it went _through_ the tree, can you believe that!" Alfred's face should be hurting with how wide his smile was.

Ivan hummed in agreement. "How funny that you should have such success in that fighting style. I too use magic that way." While his magic was strong enough to be effective if thrown, using physical force was a lot more gratifying and useful.

Alfred blinked at him. "Really? Hey! Maybe we could spar sometime, ya know, to help with my training? How 'bout it?"

"Oh, well, I'm not sure if..." He didn't know if that was such a good idea but it was hard to refuse such a hopeful face. "...but if you want to, I'd be happy to help," he agreed with a smile.

"Yes!" "But I should warn you," Ivan interrupted Alfred's momentary celebration, "Just because you have a pretty face don't think I'm going to go easy on you."

Ivan grinned at Alfred's sputtering. Alfred growled back, "It's on now, big guy. Just you wait, I'm gonna kick your ass."

"We shall see."

The waiter arrived with their plates and they let the conversation go, moving on to small talk. Their food slowly disappeared over the duration of their date, which they had decided this was. They had a pleasant night filled with laughter, and both of them were thoroughly enjoying themselves.

Alfred could not believe he had been afraid of Ivan the first time they met. Though they had only met about three weeks ago, being around Ivan was something he wondered how he could have lived without, and for so long too. It was confusing because of their supernatural differences, but despite that Alfred didn't want to stop seeing him. Ivan was sweet to him, understood him a level deeper than any human could(how strange to call other people 'human' when he had thought he was one just four or so days ago?), and respected him. If this continued Alfred knew he would fall for Ivan.

Ivan was amazed by the way Alfred kept surprising him. Every time he thought he knew the sunshine blond he was—pleasantly—surprised. Alfred was the light he didn't know he was missing in his life. He was always so bright and happy, it gave him something to look forward to seeing. The warmth that thoughts about Alfred brought to his heart was stronger than the flames of Hell's cracked and desolate surface. The difference between them was something he knew they could overcome, and though he still had troubling thoughts from his Demon side, he could say, with his whole being, that he would do anything to see that smile never leave Alfred's face.

The bill came and since Ivan was the one who asked Alfred to dinner, he insisted on paying. Alfred let him without protest and they left the restaurant.

It was freezing when they stepped outside, so Alfred used that as an excuse to cuddle with Ivan, grabbing his arm and trying to steal body heat. The action made a thought suddenly pop into Ivan's head and he voiced it without really thinking about it.

"Would you like to come to my place?"

Then he blushed lightly at the possible course their night could take. He could have smacked himself with how forward that sounded.

Alfred's thoughts though seemed to not immediately head in that direction. "Sure, lead the way."

"A-alright." What the hell was that? _Smooth, Ivan._ Why was he so flustered all of the sudden? He'd never been like this!

The walk was quiet and basked in a comfortable silence, neither speaking and just reveling in the other's presence. They arrived shortly and Ivan stopped in front of his door, turning around to face Alfred.

"What's wrong?" Alfred asked. "Nothing," Ivan said, licking his dry lips, "I just wanted to thank you for agreeing to this date. I had a very good time and I hope you did as well."

"I did, a very good one. But I think you need your own thank you." Alfred brought both his hands up to frame Ivan's face and smooched him on the lips, in a playful manner, but it turned out to be a sufficient spark.

Alfred had intended for the kiss to be sweet and chaste, but it was obvious when they parted that they were going to go further. Alfred moved his hands to Ivan's hair at the same time Ivan moved his hands to Alfred's back. The kiss was heated and messy and Ivan had to push Alfred against his door so he could open it easier.

He had to turn his head to actually see the doorknob and unlock the door, so Alfred moved onto Ivan's neck, which was placed in front of him when Ivan turned his head. It made unlocking the door that much harder, since he was kinda in a hurry already. Finally he shoved the door open and Alfred almost tripped backwards with how much he was leaning on it.

Ivan caught him and he laughed at their eagerness, silenced when Ivan started kissing him again. Ivan dropped his keys after hastily shutting and locking the door, then started pulling off his jacket. Alfred did the same then jumped, wrapping his arms around Ivan's neck and his legs around Ivan's waist.

Ivan was caught off guard by the sudden jump but held Alfred with ease, grabbing Alfred's ass and pulling him in tighter, creating a friction that made Alfred break the kiss to moan, forehead resting on Ivan's.

Ivan recaptured Alfred's lips and walked towards his bedroom, shoving open the half-way closed door and scaring Reykja, who had been asleep on his bed. Ivan paused and Alfred looked at the cat with a flushed face and gave a breathy laugh.

"Whoops, looks like we woke him up." He set his legs down and Ivan let him go so he could pick the fluffy cat up and cuddle it as he walked back to the door. He set the purring cat down and closed the door so there wouldn't be anymore surprise interruptions. When he turned around Ivan was sitting on the edge of the bed.

He went over and slid onto Ivan's lap, hands resting on Ivan's shoulders and knees on either side of him, used to slowly grind his bottom into Ivan's lap. Ivan gripped the scruff of hair on the nape of his neck and used it to force Alfred's head back so he could attack his throat. Alfred paused his grinding and clutched Ivan's shirt, moaning and blushing heavily.

Ivan suddenly stopped and Alfred almost whined, but he brought his head back down to look into Ivan's flushed face.

"Do you want to continue?" They may have been engaged in an intense make-out session, but he didn't want to continue without knowing Alfred wanted this as well.

"I-I dunno. Do you want to?"


	14. Chapter 14

**So smut ahead; the response for last chapter was quite enthusiastic about continuing this scene, so I went ahead and tried. Not only have I never written smut before; I've never written a story. I don't know if it's obvious or not that I've never done something like this, but I haven't. Therefore the way this plays out is a combination from various other similar scenes and how I like them to interact. It's also kinda long I guess because it's their first time together and I added more details. Future scenes will probably not be so long...unless you all don't mind that? Anyway I hope it turns out okay and is to your enjoyment.**

* * *

Yes he did.

He pressed his lips hard against Alfred's as an answer. Alfred's hands slid over his shoulders and clutched the back of his shirt, hastily trying to pull it off of him. They separated and Ivan helped, grabbing the bottom of his own shirt and tugging it off, letting it drop as he moved onto Alfred's shirt.

Alfred laughed when Ivan's hands brushed lightly against his sides. Ivan paused, Alfred's shirt half way off his body. He narrowed his eyes and let a devious smile form on his lips. Alfred's eyes widened when he saw it. "What are you thinking?" he said suspiciously.

Ivan's smile didn't waver as he let go of Alfred's shirt and placed his hands on Alfred's sides, barely touching them, which made Alfred laugh again. Then he realized what Ivan was thinking.

"No, don't you dare—!" he was cut off when Ivan started tickling him, his laughter filling the room and making Ivan smile genuinely. He stopped for a moment, allowing Alfred to regain his breath. "I didn't know you were so ticklish here, how cute~" he teased, receiving a weak glare in response.

"Not cool man," Alfred said, standing up and taking his shirt off, as well as his shoes and socks. When Ivan laughed he threw his shirt at him, hitting him square in the face. Alfred used this opportunity to advance, planning on pushing Ivan onto the bed fully. He was just about to make contact when suddenly he was falling on the bed himself, face first, Ivan no longer in front of him.

Strong hands gripped his hips and turned him forcibly around. Ivan was smirking at him. "Wha—Hey! You can't use any powers! That's cheating!"

Ivan raised an eyebrow as he undid the button to Alfred's jeans and tugged the zipper down. "Oh? I did not know we were playing a game," he said innocently, matching smile on his lips.

"Yeah, bullshit you didn't know. I'm onto you, big guy." Ivan shrugged his shoulders, hands sliding down Alfred's legs to grip the ends of each pant leg. He gave a few good tugs, Alfred lifting his hips for assistance, then he pulled the jeans off completely. He dropped them then crawled over Alfred's nearly bare body, supporting himself with one hand near Alfred's head and the other trailing up Alfred's leg to grip the outside of his thigh and bring his leg up and over Ivan's hip. He used his leverage to grind down, the fabric of his own jeans rubbing against the front of Alfred's boxers.

Alfred moaned and Ivan felt a tugging at his hips. "Your jeans," Alfred said, his blush returning, "take them off." The building lust in those gorgeous blue eyes had Ivan obeying the command, backing off the bed and slipping his shoes and socks off. His jeans were next and he quickly crawled back onto the bed, where Alfred had remained in his position.

This time he stopped to admire Alfred's body, how tan he was and how soft his skin looked. He ran his hand down Alfred's stomach and found the skin to be just as smooth as it looked. He heard a sigh and looked up, seeing Alfred staring up at the ceiling. He brought his hand up to cup Alfred's cheek and kiss him gently, all the while continuing his grinding.

Alfred moaned and shivered at the light touches along his body. He brought his own hands, which had been clenching the sheets, up to grip Ivan's upper arms. Since he was leaning his weight on them, they were flexed, allowing Alfred to feel the muscles he had fantasized about. And from the way Ivan had flipped him around by his hips, Alfred knew he was pretty strong.

He moved his hands down Ivan's back and to his front, where he dragged his nails up, leaving faint red marks on Ivan's abdomen.

Ivan shivered above him, closing his eyes as he took in the sensation. He took Alfred's hands in his and pinned them along his sides, moving from Alfred's mouth to his neck, trailing down.

When Ivan got to Alfred's boxers, multiple red marks now travelling down his front, he pulled them off, letting the straining erection free. He kissed around the base before pulling away completely, then suddenly taking it into his mouth. The reaction he got was glorious, Alfred gasping and arching off the bed, his legs coming to rest on top of Ivan's shoulders, to keep him in place. His hands twisted in the sheets, the warmth of Ivan's mouth sending waves of pleasure to his brain.

Ivan smiled as best he could, beginning to bob his head, pinning Alfred's hips down so he wouldn't accidentally choke him. Alfred's body became tenser and tenser as Ivan kept up his steady pace of suction, until he couldn't hold back anymore and warned Ivan he was coming. Ivan didn't stop and if anything, started humming to fasten Alfred's completion.

His orgasm hit him and he cried out, body going taut and eyes closing. His legs dug into Ivan's back and Ivan swallowed what was in his mouth then removed Alfred's legs and stood up.

"I'll be right back," he said, though he doubted Alfred cared right at that moment. He went to his bathroom and grabbed a bottle of lubricant from under his sink, then returned to his bed. Alfred was in the same position, breath still rapid and face still flushed, though his eyes were open now. They were half lidded and looking at him.

"Where'd ya go?" he asked. He could feel his heart hammering against his chest and his whole body felt so relaxed, twitching every once in a while from the remnants of his orgasm.

He held up the lube in his hand, grinning when Alfred's blush deepened, if possible. Alfred brought up his shaky arms to move up the bed, then removed his glasses and placed them on the nightstand, safe.

He had one knee on the bed when Alfred spoke up. "Aren't you gonna take off your boxers? It's not fair that you've seen me naked but I haven't seen you."

Ivan blinked then smirked, setting the lube down and standing up. "Of course, just try to contain your amazement."

"Wha—uh..." Alfred couldn't help but stare when Ivan pulled down his boxers. "Wow, that's...yeah, okay, wow." He'd never seen a cock so big before. He felt almost ashamed of his own, though he knew he was considered above average.

Ivan was still smirking, _cheeky bastard_, when he once again got on the bed. He picked up the lube and squirted some on his fingers, until they were nice and slick, then dropped the lube for later use. He brought his hand down, between Alfred's legs, then stopped.

"Ready?" he asked. It would be rude to just enter him without permission. He disregarded the fact that he had given him a blow job without direct permission.

Since he knew what was coming he tried to relax his body. He had been alive a long time, so naturally he had had sex with a lot of people, both male and female. He nodded at Ivan.

Instead of immediately continuing, Ivan leaned down and kissed him at the same time he pushed in one finger. He took a deep breath when they parted, and tried to remain relaxed. Being tense right now would get them nowhere fast, even though tensing was what he had an urge to do.

Seeing as how one finger went in smoothly and without complication, Ivan added a second, pausing when Alfred sucked in a breath. He wondered if Alfred had done this a lot, considering how well he was doing. Then he felt irrational possessiveness, briefly angered that other people had touched Alfred. He pushed that feeling away, knowing he had no right to think something like that. Alfred had been alive for a long time right? Of course he would have already had sex before now. It was foolish for him to want Alfred to be a virgin.

He looked down and noticed Alfred was getting hard again. Now that he thought about it, Alfred's body was like a teenager's. He looked young and had the hormones of one, apparently, if the rutting down of his hips was any indication. But Alfred wasn't a teenager, he was...actually, Ivan didn't know how old Alfred really was.

"This might sound strange but I was wondering how old you are," Ivan said nonchalantly, like he was talking about the weather and not about to have sex.

"I...ah!...what?" Alfred said, somewhat dumbly. It was getting hard for him to concentrate, his length already fully hard again and Ivan's fingers just barely brushing against his prostate. A lot of his main attention was on getting those fingers to press right into it.

"I was just thinking and I realized I don't know how old you are. I guess it doesn't matter right now, as I can see you are," he pushed his fingers against Alfred's prostate purposely, making him arch and cry out, "distracted."

Alfred didn't respond, at least verbally. The way his body moved, twisting and grinding down on his fingers, told Ivan he was right.

He added the third and last finger, spreading them out to prepare Alfred quicker. He observed Alfred's face from above him.

He was...beautiful, if he was honest with himself. It wasn't just his physical features though. Yes, his hair was soft and golden, and his eyes had no rival in their color, and his body was wonderful, soft and hard in all the right places, but that was only half of Alfred.

The other half was his personality, who he was. Having been alive for a long time(he assumed) it was a miracle he was so happy all the time. He just, had this way of brightening days, whether with a smile or a drink. Maybe that was why he was so attracted to him. Sure he was a divine being from Heaven, bound to be beautiful no matter his disposition(here he would point to Al as a prime example), but he wasn't like any Angel he had heard about.

The information given to him from other Demons was that Angels were temperamental, especially around them. They held value for all life except that of a Demon's. Where they were kind to everyone else, Demon's had to endure their devastating power. It wouldn't be the first time he wondered if this quality the Angels had was the reason most Demons felt they needed to 'put them in their place'.

But Alfred, even after learning what he was, had accepted him. Despite knowing that Angels and Demons never got along, Alfred hadn't turned him away.

"Dude, it is not okay for you to be spacing out right now."

He was torn from his thoughts by Alfred's remark, refocusing on Alfred's half amused, half frustrated expression.

"What?" Now who sounded dumb?

Oh. His fingers had stilled as he had been lost in thought. "I'm sorry," he said, deeming Alfred ready enough and removing his fingers. "I didn't realize how eager you are."

He got narrowed eyes in return. "What were you thinking about anyway?" Alfred asked.

"Just how beautiful you are and how lucky I am to have you in my life now," Ivan said as he poured more lube on his hand.

"What if I become like Al?"

Ivan looked at Alfred and saw the underlining worry and fear he was trying to hide. Worry over his family? His future? Their future? Fear over actually becoming like Al? Hurting his family? There were too many questions those emotions coming from Alfred would bring about.

"I don't want to but...what if I can't help it? He said I would k-kill my family. I d-don't want that."

Ivan could see the tears coming and he had to act fast to prevent a breakdown. Right now was not a good time, both because they were seriously just about to have sex(and he didn't want to stop, selfish as that was), and he wasn't sure he could give Alfred the comfort he needed. He could comfort him but, being a Demon, even half of one, gave him the feelings all offspring had of their parents. He didn't care if they lived or died, and he didn't care if he was the one to kill his mother. He didn't even know if his mother was alive still. It was an unattachment that came with being part Demon. It was also the opposite of what Alfred needed.

Since one of his hands was slimy from the lube, he placed the other one on Alfred's cheek and made sure Alfred was looking at him. "Don't think like that, Alfred. You're not him, and no matter what he says you will never be like him. These are not questions that should be discussed right now, you need to be with your family, okay?"

Alfred stared into those strange purple eyes. Ivan was right, he shouldn't stress himself out about what Al had said, but sometimes he couldn't force the thoughts away. They invaded his mind when he went to sleep and when he woke up. It didn't help that he had these thoughts whenever he slept, or laid in bed. It made him think of his nightmare, which he had fortunately not dreamt about since Ivan's spell.

Alfred raised his arms to tug Ivan down into a desperate, open mouth kiss. When they parted he said, "I'm sorry, just...make me forget about it, please."

"As you wish," he murmured, slicking himself up then grabbing Alfred's hips to pull him closer.

Alfred tightened his grip around Ivan's neck as he felt Ivan enter him. He was definitely the biggest he had ever felt. It was difficult to describe what he was feeling; there was an uncomfortably stretched feeling coinciding with a pleasant fullness. He'd never felt anything quite like it. He was right on the border of a lot of pain and great pleasure. He would have to adjust first though.

"Oh, God, just...hold on a second, let me...oh," he gasped, breathing deeply and tightening still his grasp around Ivan's neck.

"It's fine," Ivan panted, "take your time." Though he said that and allowed Alfred his break, inside he was struggling to not move. Such warmth and tightness, it was difficult to keep a rational train of thought and not just chant _mine, mine, mine forever,_ and take what was so obviously _his_ at whatever pace he wanted. That was his Demon side, he knew that, but at times like this it was hard to differentiate between the side of himself that saw Alfred as a person and the side of himself that saw Alfred as a possession.

"O-okay," Alfred said, dropping his arms and gripping the bed sheets so he didn't hurt Ivan. There was always a chance he(or Ivan, for the matter) could lose control of his powers. Ivan ran a much lower risk, considering he had been in control of himself all his life. Alfred had only discovered his powers a week ago and just started using them earlier that day. He didn't want to accidentally hurt Ivan and he also didn't know how Ivan would react to being touched by Angel magic. Alfred didn't want to experiment.

_Thank you, oh sweet Lucifer, thank you so much. _Slowly, despite the urge to just start out fast and rough, he began moving. In and out, at a relatively slow pace until Alfred voiced different. He hoped that was soon.

Alfred had his eyes closed, brows furrowed. The burning pain of being stretch too much had faded away to pleasure with every brush against his prostate. This of course also proved to increasingly frustrate him. Ivan wasn't hitting the _right_ spot, only getting close to it. He needed more!

"Faster, ah, harder dammit!" he exclaimed, hands thoroughly twisted in the sheets. Ivan almost felt like crying with how heavenly those words sounded to his ears. He placed both hands on either side of Alfred's head, right above his shoulders so Alfred wouldn't be pushed up the bed. Then he sped up and increased the strength of his thrusts at the same time, falling into a fast, pounding rhythm.

Their bodies were slick with sweat now, breathing fast and hearts beating erratically. Ivan set his forehead on Alfred's, watching his face as he moaned and gasped and cried out nearly every thrust. Like Alfred's face, he knew his own must have been flushed; it felt hot, but how could his view and the music gracing his ears not arouse him so?

Alfred opened his eyes as a strong thrust struck his prostate head on, causing him to arch. He noticed Ivan watching him, a dazed look on his face. He smiled at Ivan and tilted his head back so he could kiss him.

Ivan kissed back and clenched the sheets in his hands. "A-Alfred, I'm close," he practically growled, overcome with the pleasure spiking up his spine.

"Me too," he whispered back, reaching down and starting to jerk himself off. It didn't take long for him to finish for the second time, a final cry, of Ivan's name this time, and he orgasmed, seed hitting his belly and sliding down his hand.

The spasming of muscles that accompanied Alfred's end in turn pushed him over the edge. All the tension in him snapped as he finished, emptying inside Alfred then slumping slightly over him. They breathed for a few moments, not saying anything. They didn't really need to either.

Eventually Ivan pulled out and laid on the bed next to Alfred, who looked already fast asleep, except for the lazy smiled appearing on his lips. "That. Was amazing," he panted out, turning his head to face Ivan. He smiled back.

"It was for me as well." He saw the way Alfred's eyes were starting to close, though he kept forcing them back open.

He lifted himself up and tugged the sheets down so he could pull them over him. Alfred did the same, though at a much more sluggish pace. When they were settled it was with them turned on their sides facing each other.

"Tired?" Ivan asked, physically tired but mentally wide awake. He had slept a couple days ago, he didn't feel the need to tonight. Maybe he would clean them up as Alfred slept.

"Nope," Alfred said, but of course he yawned right after he stated that. Ivan chuckled. "Sleep, Alfred. I will see you in the morning."

"M'kay," Alfred mumbled, closing his eyes, "'Night."

Ivan smiled warmly, "Goodnight."

Once Alfred fell asleep, given away by his steady, deep breathing, Ivan watched him for a few minutes (or maybe an hour, he didn't know) then got up to grab a towel from his bathroom to clean them with.

* * *

Every second was spent thinking about that boy. His scent was unique, intoxicating and so sweet, he salivated just thinking about it. What he would give to sink his teeth into the kid's flesh and suck his energy clean out of him. The thought sent shivers down his spine. There was just one problem though: he was always around that Demon.

He scowled as he thought about the Demon around the boy. Why did Demons always get the best? Well he was sick of it. Now that he had gotten a good smell of the boy's scent, he wasn't going to let him get away, or taken by the Demon.

Not for the first time he pulled his coat to his face and took a deep breath. His scent was so strong it still clung to his coat after they had bumped into each other earlier that day. He hadn't been paying attention, thinking about his next meal, and when they had run into each other he had brushed the kid aside and continued walking.

When the scent hit him he had paused, eyes dilating with how pleasant the boy smelled. He had turned to look at him, eyes narrowed in thoughts of how he was going to corner the boy.

But then the underlining scent of other creatures had made themselves present, and while he didn't mind magic folk and werewolves, it was the Demon's scent which made him angry.

He'd just have to observe the kid and wait for the best time to strike.


	15. Chapter 15

**I won't be here next week at all so there won't be any updates. I'll try to think of the next chapters while I'm gone. There is a plot to this story so I think I'll work on bringing that to focus.**

* * *

Having been completely consumed by the desire to, at the very least be around the boy, he had taken to discreetly following him. For the past few days, he had watched him from the shadows. The boy—who he had learned was named Alfred—worked at a bar, and he would stop by every chance he got.

Sometimes he would sit in a corner, just observing and watching him, and sometimes he would take a chance and sit at the bar. The scent was heaviest around it, since that was where he spent all his time. But he had noticed the Demon's scent was stronger on him now, and he didn't like it. He'd have to strike soon if he still wanted his prey, and oh, did he want him.

He wanted to melt away his human disguise and see the fear race through his prey's eyes. He wanted blood to flow fast and the heart to beat strongly. He wanted whatever magic that produced such an enticing scent to be activated in his prey's attempt to survive.

Such images were a constant in his mind, and it took a lot of willpower to not jump across the barrier separating them and devour him. As much as he wanted to take his energy, he didn't want a Demon after him, and for that matter, werewolves. While common magic had no effect on him, Demon's magic and the magic involved with werewolf transformation he was not immune to.

It still baffled him as to what this Alfred could possibly be. He had never smelled another with a matching scent, or one even close to it. He would have to wait until he confronted his prey to get his answer.

But how to get him alone? His most opportune moment, he knew, would be at night, when the boy was walking home from the bar, but the Demon was always with him. As he watched Alfred and that Demon walk by from the other side of the street, he wondered if there was something he could do to occupy the Demon...

* * *

It started off weak. Little things like his keys being misplaced or his door being jammed. Small things he could easily brush aside. But they escalated.

Ivan stared at his seemingly normal front door, breath creating little puffs in front of his face every time it hit the frigid air. His key worked, but the door wouldn't open. And he had a feeling it wasn't just jammed this time, as it had been a couple days ago. Ever since he and Alfred had gone on their date last Friday, he had been having trouble finding things.

He had suspected someone of breaking into his home, but there was no scent left afterward. He knew that there were creatures that could hide their scents or didn't have one, but he didn't have any idea why one would be bothering him so much.

He turned his attention back to his door, which was apparently sealed shut with magic. This was really starting to annoy him.

He placed one hand on the door, palm to it, and looked around for anyone watching. Seeing no one, he let a pulse of his magic spread from his hand to the door, surrounding it before dissipating. He tried the handle and pushed the door open. He had a few seconds to register what he was seeing before the smell hit him.

It smelled like death. The walls, the floor, and parts of his furniture were covered in what smelled like blood, and for one horrifying second he thought it was his cat that had been killed. But no, Reykja came trotting up to him like normal. So what was on his walls?

He had to cover his mouth and nose from the terrible smell. It was so strong he wondered how it hadn't seeped through his door, or had his neighbors complaining. It had to be magic keeping the smell contained.

As he walked farther into his home he saw the causes of the main smell. Dead animals had been strewn about his living room, their blood now painting his walls and their organs thrown haphazardly around the room.

Ivan narrowed his eyes. If this was the same creature who had been messing with him the last few days, they were going to die, slowly and painfully.

Well, he didn't want to leave this mess here. He knew it would take him all night to clean this up, even with magic. He'd call Alfred to let him know he wasn't going to make it tonight.

* * *

Alfred sighed as he turned off the lights to the bar and walked out the front door, locking it behind him. Now that Ivan had been visiting him everyday and walking him home, he didn't realize how boring it was without him.

Ivan had called and told him something had come up and that he wouldn't be there tonight. He hadn't said what, even at Alfred's prodding, just that it was bothersome and time consuming. He figured it was a work thing, or maybe a Demon thing. He had said that was fine and goodnight, to which Ivan responded the same and hung up.

It was freezing outside, like it had been the last couple weeks, and he could feel his face flushing from the cold. _Man, I need to start bringing gloves with me_. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and started his walk home.

* * *

He was so smart, there should be awards given to him. _Most genius way to make a prey vulnerable._ His plan had worked so perfectly, the Demon was otherwise occupied and his target was walking all alone, almost about to pass the shadows he was hiding in. And since he left no scent behind, they'd never know it was him! That was a relief actually; he didn't want a vengeful Demon after him. He wasn't suicidal.

His prey was coming closer and he could almost taste the blond's energy on his tongue. He'd been imagining all sorts of different 'flavors', as he called them. Each creature had a definable scent, after all, of course they all tasted different. Alfred though was special it seemed, either rare or some sort of mutation. He would be able to find out when he attacked.

* * *

He was(conveniently) lost in thought as he walked. He wondered how his next training session would go. He'd been making great progress, able to perfect the basic movements and attacks and working on more advanced ones. His control showed too. His punches were so strong now, when covered with magic at least, and he was sure he could punch the wall of a building and make the whole thing crumble.

His defense wasn't bad either, able to hold out against many weaker spells but only a few of the more powerful ones. Arthur was suitably impressed, but so far he was the only one who knew of Alfred's progress, at least first hand. Dinners were now filled with excited chatter about how well Alfred's training was doing and playful banter about who was stronger than who.

Ivan had not been able to spar with him yet, but he was hoping that would change over the weekend. He couldn't wait to test his new power out, and against a Demon too. He also wanted to see more of Ivan's magic in action, as he'd only seen small things, like healing.

Francis and Matthew had professed their desire to try Alfred's new powers out as well. Werewolves didn't use magic like other creatures did. A lot of their magic was psychological, dealing with a primal fear of wolves and the unknown. It would be great training in strengthening his mental defenses, because of course they wouldn't go so far as to seriously hurt him. Slap him around a bit, yeah, but not maim or mentally scar him.

He looked up at the sky, the stars shining brightly being so far away from any major cities. He'd always like the sky, space actually. It was something that continued to fascinate him all the years he'd been alive.

Unfortunately, his pleasant walk and view were cut short by a blow to the back of his head.

* * *

Now that he had his prey, he was almost bouncing with enjoyment. Surprisingly, he'd been easy to take down, a swift hit to his head and he was out, unconscious before he hit the ground. He could smell blood coming from the wound as well.

He almost expected the boy to catch him somehow, but he reacted like any human would, which was a little disappointing, but he didn't care really. All he cared about was sucking the no doubt delicious energy out of the being laying at his feet.

He couldn't do it out in the open though, so he grabbed the boy's arms and started dragging him into the cover of darkness, toward the woods, where they would be all alone.

* * *

Ugh, he _hated_ cleaning blood, out of anything. More often than not it was his clothing, but sometimes his possessions got dirty. Demons weren't the cleanest of creatures.

Still, he liked to think Katyusha had taught him something about being a better person, so he was normally very careful when he killed something. Back when he lived with his sisters it would be wild animals for lunch and dinner, but now he rarely killed anything, except bacteria.

He wouldn't even try to salvage the rags he used; they were too thoroughly soaked and stained with blood now. So he put them all in a trash bag and set them by the door next to the trash bags with the dead animals. Since he couldn't just throw them away, he'd have to go into the woods and burn them, along with the blood soaked rags. No need for anyone asking questions.

Luckily, only his living room had been soiled, so he was pretty much done. A few quick sprays of some fruity air freshener and he was finished.

He decided to get the burning done sooner rather than later, so he walked over and picked up the bags, their weight not a problem to him.

He vaguely hoped he would run into the creature that had done this, as unlikely as that was.

* * *

It was hard for him to not just jump the unconscious boy, but he managed. Touching him felt amazing, more than he thought it would. There was an invigorating sense to his touch, one that filled him with physical energy and made him feel invincible. Just what was this boy?

He came to the border of the woods and paused at that thought. He didn't want to wait but he really wanted to know what this kid was. Maybe there were others like him, and if he knew the creature's name maybe he could gather information about them. Then he could experience this again.

That seemed smart so he started dragging him again, into the forest and to a nice deserted spot. Now all he had to do was wait for him to wake up.

* * *

It was really quiet as he walked to the forest. Like, nothing was moving. Only his trash bags rubbing against each other produced a sound. It made his hearing sharper than it already was, and put him on alert for anything sudden or suspicious.

He stopped a little ways before the border of the forest. There was a second scent of blood in the air, one that was vaguely familiar to him, like he'd smelled it but not paid it that much attention. It was faint but definitely different from the animal blood.

He tilted his head back and took a deep breath, turning his head in the direction he smelled it from. It started in town and went into the woods.

He started walking towards the start of the trail, wondering if someone was hurt and walked to the woods for some reason. But why would they?

He turned onto a sidewalk that he and Alfred used when returning from the bar. Maybe some drunkard had hurt himself.

Just as he stopped in front of an alleyway, looking at the small drops of fresh blood that led farther into it, his phone vibrated. He sat the trash bags down and pulled his phone out of his pants pocket. Arthur was calling him.

"Hello?" he greeted. "Ivan?" came the response. "Arthur? Why are you calling so early?"

"Is Alfred with you? He hasn't come home yet and it doesn't take very long to get back from work. It's not like him to not tell us he's going to be late either."

"He didn't go home? He's not with me, I couldn't go to the bar today, something...came up..."

His eyes widened as he saw the bar a few buildings down, then looked back at the blood.

No.

"I'll have to call you back," he said, then hung up.

No, no, no!

He felt a mix of black rage, horrifying realization, and extreme worry and despair. It was Alfred's blood, which was familiar because he had smelled it during the spell he had performed almost two weeks ago.

Were this and his apartment related? He felt so stupid, someone wanted Alfred and kept him busy so Alfred would be alone. He'd never felt so much self-hate in one day.

He gripped the trash bags again and hit them with such a sudden and intense burst of magic that they burst into flames and quickly disintegrated. Then he started running, following the trail to where he desperately hoped he wouldn't find Alfred's body.

* * *

His ascent to consciousness was slow and painful. He blinked his eyes open and squeezed them shut to clear away the spots in his vision. There was a weight on his stomach that was bothering him and his head hurt, plus he was freezing. He tried to bring his hands up but found they were restrained. Where was he, and why couldn't he move?

"Finally, it was so hard waiting for you to wake up. I came this close to just getting on with it," came a voice above him.

A hand slapped his cheek lightly a few times, accompanied by the voice, sounding excited. "Come on, wake up! I want to get this over with. You don't know how much I want this already."

He blinked some more and opened his eyes fully. "Where—?" he tried, but it was hard to concentrate. "Where am I?" he said.

"Are you up?"

He looked down at the man sitting on his stomach, straddling him and restraining his arms with his knees. "Who—?" "You'll find out soon enough."

He was starting to realize the situation he was in. Pinned to—he looked around and saw lots of trees—the forest floor with a stranger on him.

"G-get off me," he said, trying to pull his arms up, but he was weakened from whatever had happened to him. From the slight ache inside and outside his head, he figured he must have been knocked out.

"Oh no, I'm afraid that won't do," the man purred, leaning down and starting to nuzzle his neck, bare from his jacket being removed before he had woken up, licking it a few times. He shivered at the taste, so desiring to just bite down.

"Stop!" Alfred yelled, more alert as the danger of the situation hit him.

The stranger sat back up and smiled down at him. "I don't think so."

Alfred watched in horror as the man changed. His skin turned gray and stretched as he grew taller. His clothing ripped and hung off of his now skeleton like frame. His eyes were sunken in and his teeth had all elongated into fangs, fingers and nails merging into claws as his arms grew disproportional to his body. He felt something against his leg and noticed a bony tail had grown. The thing opened its mouth and with a sickening crack, broke its jaw, so its mouth was much wider and didn't close properly. Words came out of his mouth though he didn't move it.

"Now, you will tell me what you are before I kill you," his voice was different, scratchy and deeper.

He managed to stutter out, "W-what? What d-do y-you mean w-what I a-am?" The creature leaned down and he turned his head away, closing his eyes tightly. The thing took a deep breath.

"Your scent," it growled, "I have never smelled anything like it, so thoroughly enticing and delicious. You will tell me what you are." The large talons clasped onto his shoulders and shook him, the claws digging into his upper back and drawing blood.

Was this thing going to eat him?! He struggled more, the creature no less heavy even though it looked like a skeleton. It laughed harshly. "Do you think you will escape? No one knows where you are, I made sure to keep that Demon occupied so you'd be all mine.

He dragged his claws—still embedded in Alfred's skin through his shirt—around his shoulders and down his arms, shallow lines of blood running down his arms and staining his shirt. He gritted his teeth against the pain.

It took its claws out of him and tore his shirt open, lapping up the lines of blood. Its breathing deepened, sounding labored, and it turned to look at him.

"Tell me what you are!" it yelled.

In his panic he tried using his magic to help himself, petrified though he was by this terrible creature. It appeared for a second, everything lighting up before it was gone. "What?" he whispered.

The thing sitting on him jerked, twitching slightly, head pointed upwards. Then it suddenly lowered itself and bit him hard, on the junction between shoulder and neck, causing him to arch in pain and cry out.

* * *

It seemed whoever took Alfred was indeed the same one who had messed with him the last few days. Alfred's scent was covered completely up, the only thing leading him in the right direction was the small drops of blood left behind, which were already lessening, the scent blown every direction by the freezing wind.

He knew his control was slipping, his true form overtaking his human one, though not completely. He could feel fangs, and claws on his hands, and most likely his eyes had changed as well.

A sudden cry to his right made him stop and listen. It was Alfred, and he was in pain.

The thought of Alfred in any pain, ever, in any situation was incredibly unappealing. The last string holding his rational mind together was severed as the cry of pain rang about his head. Loose gravel and leaves were repelled from him as he turned to the direction he'd heard the cry from, and blinked out of existence.

* * *

So consumed was he of absorbing the intoxicating energy which flowed through his now subdued prey, he had failed to catch onto the approaching scent of a Demon. The surge of sudden magic into him from his prey's futile attempt to fight back had pushed him past his limits of restraint.

It tasted so much better than he could ever imagine. It was pure magic, white in nature and warm. The easiest way to steal magic was to just drink the blood of his target, or eat them. Although he did have to be careful, some beings had acidic blood or corrosive skin.

But the magic from this young boy was so strong and delicious, he almost passed out from how potent it was. As it was, all his senses were directed at his task.

That's why the attack took him by surprise.

He was knocked off and away from his meal, his skin burning and making him clutch his side and hiss in pain. He got up and snarled, getting on all fours as he looked for whoever had dared interrupt his wonderful meal...

...Except what he saw almost made him want to turn tail and run, possibly to another Realm.

The Demon he had thought would be occupied by his little presents was standing a few feet away. He didn't outright look angry, but from the pressure in the air he could guess the Demon was extremely angry. He didn't want to give up the unique meal he'd come across, but for him, fighting a Demon was practically begging to be killed.

The Demon was apparently so angry that part of his human disguise had slipped, sharp teeth and pointed nails noticeable. The thin cord like tail swishing unevenly behind him was also an indicator he wasn't happy. But the eyes...he could only glance at them.

There was nothing that invoked fear quicker or stronger than looking into a Demon's eyes when they assumed their true form. One glance, even just half a second of looking into the eyes of a serious Demon could send anything into a state of paranoia and crippling fear.

The signature white slitted pupils that all Demons shared were present, surrounded by a dark purple. The Demon was glaring at him.

"Do you think you can take what is mine and live? Suck the life out of him and expect nothing to happen?"

Before he could respond the Demon was in front of him, hand wrapped around his throat hard and preventing an adequate air supply to his lungs.

"For messing with my house I was going to kill you and be done with it. But now you've earned yourself a worse fate."

He forced the lesser creature to its knees and hit it with a stun spell, paralyzing it. He smiled as he used a nail to cut a line across his wrist.

"Demon blood isn't compatible with your body, is it?" His tone was sickly sweet as he pried open the thing's mouth and stared into its eyes. "While you writhe helplessly on the ground in pain, I'm going to take Alfred. Then I'm coming back for you."

He overturned his wrist and let his blood drip steadily into the open mouth. He moved his arm around the wide mouth to cover the entire inside, then healed his wound. He cured the paralysis and watched happily as it fell over and curled in on itself, growling and howling in pain as his blood likely burned it from the inside out.

"I'll see you in a little bit, so wait right here, okay?" He said sweetly still, then turned away and walked over to Alfred.

The worry he felt overpowered the urge to take advantage of the vulnerable Angel, as many Demons would do. Alfred was staring at the sky, breathing slow and eyes half lidded and vacant. He'd probably lost a lot of blood, his shoulder, his shirt, and the ground beneath him soaked in blood. He would need to be taken care of right away.

He did what he could for now, pushing magic into the wounds and healing them. Now that Alfred wasn't bleeding he carefully picked him up and blinked them to Arthur.

* * *

Arthur, after talking to Ivan, had sat in the kitchen and worried. He knew Alfred didn't like it when he worried too much but he couldn't help it. What if he'd been attacked? Or kidnapped? What if he was dead?

Arthur rubbed his face with his palm. 'What if' questions were not going to help him right now. He thought about going back to bed, as it was pretty early in the morning, around three, but he couldn't knowing Alfred could be in trouble. Hopefully Ivan would be able to find him.

He sat there, joined by Francis when he'd woken up to find Arthur missing. He comforted him the best he could but he too was worried.

About twenty five minutes after his phone call to Ivan they heard sound in the living room. They looked at each other and cautiously went to the door, pushing it open and peaking inside. Their caution disappeared when they saw Ivan setting Alfred down on the couch.

"What happened?" Arthur said, rushing over to Alfred and examining the blood on him. Francis went back into the kitchen to grab rags and hot water to clean the blood off with.

"He was attacked by a half-bred Incubus," was all Ivan offered. He affectionately ran his hand through Alfred's hair then said, "I'll be back later," and was gone.


	16. Chapter 16

**So this chapter has gore, I guess? I'm not sure, that stuff doesn't really effect me so I'm not bothered by it but I know others are, so**

**WARNING: Gore, blood, and plot development.**

* * *

Memories that could have been his flashed in his mind in a succession so rapid he could not make sense of any of it. Sounds and emotions accompanying the images did nothing to help him, only made him disoriented. Not that he knew where he was.

In between the brightly colored memories(well he presumed they were memories; it was just something he felt) he could see only darkness on all sides.

Occasionally one memory would be so strong, repeatedly coming to his mind faster and faster until he was solely focused on the blurred pictures. The sounds were dulled with these images but the emotions were stronger, amplified as though focusing on these memories meant focusing on the feelings as well.

He saw bits of a life that was similar to his, only he didn't remember any of it happening. Parties, fights, anniversaries, funerals, holidays...in all those memories he was there, but so was Ivan, and that couldn't be right. He hadn't been with Ivan nearly that long; he'd only met the guy like three weeks ago.

Yet the emotions were so strong that he was beginning to believe what he saw to be true. He felt happiness, sadness, anger, hatred, fear, shock. It was too much to take in so rapidly, and his head was starting to ache with all the emotional whiplash he was experiencing.

The emotions spiked, happy, sad, happy, sad, until suddenly there was a flurry of negative emotions; mind crippling fear, betrayal, agony, searing burning pain and then...!

* * *

He was not crying, though he was shaking. With a gasp he jolted awake, only to hiss and try to relax his tense body. His shoulder area was throbbing, the heated, burning pain dulled but clearly there.

He rested his head against a firm pillow and brought his right hand, the one not on the side of his injury, to his forehead. There was a cloth there, slightly cold and damp, and he used it to wipe the sweat from his temples and neck, then tossed it onto the...living room floor?

Observing his surroundings, he noticed he was in the living room, laying on the couch and therefore taking up all three cushions. Why was he in the living room?

"You were attacked," he heard to his right, instinctively turning his head to the familiar voice but regretting it when his neck screamed in protest. There was a chuckle before a shadow came over him.

"You shouldn't move too much, you still need to rest to allow your body to reproduce the life stolen from you," the voice said and when he finally focused he saw it was Ivan standing over him.

"Ivan?" he asked. "What happened?" He brought his hand up to rub at his head, gently so as to not agitate his wound.

"As I said, you were attacked."

"A-Attacked? By wha—" The memories of his encounter with that monster hit him like a ton of bricks and he gasped, momentarily forgetting he was in his living room, safe and protected. "T-The _thing_, the thing that...that..." He wasn't hyperventilating but his breath was coming very quickly, probably not good for his pounding heart. Ivan noticed this.

"Shh, shh, calm down," he said, placing one hand on the couch's arm rest and the other on Alfred's cheek to get him to relax. He leaned closer to say softly, "Relax, everything is okay now, you're fine, you're okay."

"I-I was so scared, and t-that thing said...and..." At a loss for words, Alfred instead wrapped his arm around Ivan's neck and pulled him down into a kiss, desperate for the comforting touch...only Ivan was rigid, tense as he allowed Alfred to kiss him but made no move to return it. After noticing this Alfred pulled back and looked into Ivan's eyes. "What...?"

Ivan sighed and leaned up a bit, so he wasn't invading Alfred's personal space. "I'm sorry, it is just...surprising, after all these years, to finally be kissed by an Angel again." Alfred looked, he really looked at Ivan and saw that he was vaguely...transparent.

"You're the..." he managed, brain frozen at this strange turn of events, flashes of his nightmare coming to his mind.

Ivan nodded. "Yes, I am not your Ivan; I'm not from this world. I'm the Ivan from the Dream Realm, and I've come to ask for your help."

* * *

He wouldn't say he was skipping but there was definitely a spring to his step. The forest had gotten much darker in the short amount of time he was away, though his eyes pierced through the darkness easily.

It wasn't hard finding the same spot; the little clearing was drenched in the scent of Alfred's blood and, to a lesser extent, his own.

He let a smile come to his face as he thought about all the things he could possibly do to that wretched mongrel for touching what was _his._

Stepping(bouncing) into the clearing, he saw that the half-breed had moved(though not very far) as if trying to run away. But why would it want to do that?

It noticed him and increased its struggles, crawling very slowly as its internal organs melted away. He walked over to it, shaking his head and clucking his tongue. When he got close he kicked the creature to its back and pressed his foot to its chest, then leaned heavily on it. It made a choking gag-like noise but Ivan paid it no attention.

"I thought I had told you to wait for me. Were you trying to leave?" He paused as if waiting for an answer, but he was putting so much pressure on the thing's chest its lungs were seizing, rendering it incapable of responding.

"No matter," Ivan said airily, smile sharp as knives as he glared down at the writhing half-breed. "You will be punished all the same."

* * *

"I don't understand," Alfred said, face reflecting his confusion, "I thought you...and Al..."

Ivan sighed again and pulled one of the chairs over to the side of the couch. He sat down so he wouldn't be towering over Alfred. "It's true that I did want to help him. You have to understand, helping him meant having the power to return to our world, where we could take revenge on the one who sent us there. But..." Ivan looked into Alfred's eyes, the warm shade of blue so unlike Al's, "I've come to realize that I can't help him. As much as I want to go back and take revenge for Al's corruption, I can't let him destroy another Alfred; just one is one too many."

Alfred remained silent as he listened to Ivan speak. His mind was a jumbled mess as Ivan's words and his weird dream collided and, suddenly, he realized why Ivan was doing this. "You...still love him, don't you?" Alfred said softly, "Despite everything that's happened to him."

"In a way, yes, I do; I love the part of him that is _you_, the sweet Angel who filled my life with happiness and warmth. I believe he is there, underneath all the demonic influence, one ray of light in a sky of darkness."

He recalled the memories, the feelings he experienced with them. Though they changed rapidly, love was there a lot. He would guess Al loved Ivan as well, and he couldn't help but feel sad for Ivan. Constantly reminded about what he lost, always having to know his Alfred was so close yet so far. It must be a terrible life.

"You said you came to ask for my help," Alfred said.

Ivan nodded. "Yes, I have. I believe there is a way to save him, but it can only be accomplished with your help specifically."

* * *

He was getting his clothes dirty, but he'd long ago grown not to care. The ugly, mud colored blood of the half-breed was speckled across the top of his coat and covering a lot more of the bottom part of it. The clearing now smelled strongly of the creature's blood, heavier in scent that it was compared to other beings.

The smile never left his face as he tortured the helpless mongrel. Slowly bending the bones of its arms and legs until they broke, then continuing to bend until the bone cleared muscle and flesh, disgustingly white surrounded by black and brown.

When the thing had tried to bite him, he'd paralyzed it again everywhere but its head and slowly, carefully pulled out all its teeth. The blood stained fangs were strewn about the clearing where Ivan had tossed them aside, careless as he went to pull out the next one.

"Do you think you've suffered enough?" Ivan asked, not expecting an answer at all. If anything he expected the thing to beg him for death, but even in that case Ivan would not grant it that. If this creature thought it could attack his Angel and live, or get a quick death, Ivan would just have to teach it how Demons dealt with lower creatures.

Roughly grabbing its jaw, he leaned down and stared at it. "Oh? Weak already? How disgusting." He squeezed harder and harder until its jaw shattered, something akin to a scream ripping its way through the half-breed's throat. The sound made a satisfied smile appear on Ivan's face. "Excellent! I'm so glad you can continue."

He flipped it onto its stomach, whines emitting from its throat as pressure was put on its broken ribs, which Ivan had kicked in. He made sure to paralyze its arms and legs, so it wouldn't thrash around, but left its torso and head free to feel the oncoming punishment.

"I'd say prepare yourself but you deserve every ounce of pain you get," was all the warning Ivan gave before he made a deep cut in its upper back, dug his fingers into it to get a strong grip, and tore the skin from its back.

* * *

"My help? But how can I help him?"

He couldn't think of any way that could work. Al was much stronger than him, with both angelic and demonic powers; how was he supposed to have the power to save him if he'd only just found out he was an Angel?

"I'm not going to lie, it will be difficult. You'll have to travel to the Medium and Heaven to develop the skills needed for performing an exorcism to—" "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Alfred interrupted, eyes wide, "Exorcism? Why would I need to learn how to do that? And why do I have to go to other Realms?"

"If you would have let me finished my sentence, you would know already," Ivan said, amused expression on his face. _Just like how I remember him to be._ "You need the skills to perform an exorcism so you can expel the demonic energy corrupting Al, thus hopefully returning him to his previous state."

Alfred narrowed his eyes. "You mean...turn him back to normal? And what do you mean hopefully?"

Ivan leaned back in the chair. "I mean exactly what I say. You know what a Dark Angel is right? A being infused with both angelic and demonic energy, even though they are naturally repelled from each other. Al has been infected for so long that I do not know if purging the darker energy from his body will completely return him to normal. It could free him, or end up killing him, but it is a risk I am willing to take."

Alfred looked at Ivan and admired the emotional strength he was displaying. Willing to help his love even if just to put him out of his misery. Alfred didn't know if he had that kind of strength, to sacrifice something he loved for its own good. Carefully and very slowly, he tried to sit up. Ivan did nothing as he used his good arm to lift his body and sat upright, trying not to jostle his left shoulder and arm. When he was sitting properly he was directly in front of Ivan, so close their knees had to alternate so as to not bump into each other. By the time he was settled his breathing had increased from the effort.

As he sat there, waiting for his breathing to return to normal, he thought about something Arthur had told him when he'd woken up after Ivan's spell. He'd said he was unsure of the nature of Al and Ivan's relationship. Once he was breathing at a normal rate he asked, "Can I ask you a question? About you and Al?"

Ivan's eyebrows drew together slightly though he nodded his head. "After our...uh, first meeting, I guess? Arthur was telling us about your situation, but he didn't know everything about you two." He paused to lick his lips, thinking of the best way to phrase his questions and therefore missing the flicker of Ivan's eyes to his lips, then back. "When did you meet Al? How did you meet and how did you decide you wanted to be in a relationship with him?"

* * *

The Medium, long before people in the Human Realm could even grasp the terrible ability of the supernatural, often had a saying. _Screams were the Demon's lullaby_. It wasn't too far off the mark, either. Though he did not fall asleep to the sound of recorded screams, when he was engrossed in a good torture session they were like a cool balm over his dead soul; they were relaxing and at the same time invigorating.

No matter how hard he tried not being a Demon, natural and basic instincts would always win out. Almost as if hearing a soft children's sound from his sister, his body would loosen up, his mind clearing of everything but his task. Though at the same time, he would feel better than ever, the tortured sounds sending pulses of what felt like lightning to his brain.

By this point, the _poor, poor_ creature under him was unconscious, the pain of having its flesh ripped straight from its body to much for its overloaded brain. If it could cry it probably would have been, though sob-like jerks had racked its body.

Having grown tired of little response, Ivan dealt the killing blow, one quick jab and the fragile neck was snapped. He put both his hands on the thing's mutilated and bloody back and incinerated it, flames quickly engulfing the corpse and burning it away.

When there was nothing underneath him but a pile of smoldering ash, he stood up straight and surveyed his clothing. Blood stained and foul smelling. He'd have to return to his home and change, possibly take a shower before he could check up on Alfred. Though first, he had to take care of the clearing, as it reeked of blood and would draw in other supernatural beasts, and being so close to town was bad because they could possibly pick up on Alfred's scent, and he would really not like something similar to happen again. What if the next creature was smarter and succeeded in killing Alfred? Unacceptable.

Using a force field around the clearing's edge(so he didn't start a forest fire) he set the wild grass ablaze and watched it burn for a bit, face emotionless. Then he was gone, the only trace of anything that had happened a large circle of burnt ground.

* * *

Ivan smiled. "So that is what you are wanting to know, is it? I suppose nothing of harm could come from sharing this information. Would you mind if I called him Alfred, at least for now?" Alfred shook his head no and Ivan cleared his throat before starting.

"Alright, well, what year is it?"

"Its 2012."

"Oh, so long. Okay, let me think...I met Alfred I _believe_ eighteen years ago, in 1994." Judging by Alfred's expression of complete shock, he had not been expecting that. "I thought you guys would have only known each other for, like...a year, two at most." He leaned back on the couch, eyes wide and jaw dropped at how surprised he was.

"I'm afraid its much longer than that. Anyway, I met Alfred at a gym. I knew when I first saw him that he was special; the why is what I didn't know. I did not know it then, but Alfred had known about his status as the last Angel alive for a long time. If I can remember correctly, Alfred said Arthur had told him around 1905, so he'd been training and practicing for close to a hundred years when I met him."

This time Alfred appeared too shocked to ask a question so Ivan went on.

"In that time he'd learned how to suppress his angelic side, and quite well, too; I could not figure out what he was until he told me. But when I first saw him jogging on a treadmill, I couldn't help but watch him. It felt natural being around him, but also unnatural enough that I kept my distance. After I found out what he was, immediately I knew why being close to him felt conflicting; As part Demon, I _was_ drawn to him, but at the same time repulsed. He could hide a lot of his presence but he couldn't hide it all. It was the little bit he couldn't cover up that drew me in.

I must have been obvious in my watching because one day he approached me. He wasn't mad of course; he'd ogled many people to catch his interest, and had easily accepted my apologies. From then on we started working out together, or simply near each other. Working out together led to cooling down together, which led to lunches and the like, on and on until we were officially dating.

I'd say maybe 6 months had just passed when we decided we were a couple. It took another two years for Alfred to admit he could sense I wasn't human, thus revealing himself to be something different as well. I was skeptical, of course; I had never seen an Angel and had believed all my life that they were all dead. Now I was supposed to just accept there was one still alive? And my boyfriend, no less? Not without some proof."

Ivan paused and looked at Alfred, who had regained his composure and was raptly following his tale.

"Arthur and my adoptive sister we invaluable resources when it came to finding out the truth. Katyusha described Angels she had seen, their markings and auras. Alfred kindly showed his markings when asked. Arthur brought scrolls and papers littered with qualities and powers Angels were known to have possessed. Alfred could easily match up to anything the documents said, so I had no choice but to believe that he was telling the truth. So in return I had to tell him I was indeed not a human but a half-Demon. Alfred wasn't all that surprised, after all he had been the one suppressing his powers, not I. He had known that I was a being of demonic energy but not that I was only half of one.

Since that day, leading all the way up to Al's creation, Alfred and I had been in a happy, stable relationship."

A short silence followed the end of Ivan's little tale, broken shortly by Alfred.

"Wow, that's...different from how Ivan and I met. Way different. I didn't even know I was an Angel; even now that truth hits me sometimes and its so unreal I just have to...sit down, or something. I can't imagine what it must be like to control all that power." This information was enlightening, in a way. He had no idea Ivan and his other self had been in such a great relationship. He wouldn't have been able to guess that from what he saw the night of the spell. Then again, it wasn't _Alfred_, was it? It was only Alfred's body.

"But how did Al become like that? When did that happen, and why did it happen?" Alfred asked. These questions had been plaguing him recently, but the answers continued to allude him.

Ivan was about to respond when he stopped and tilted his head to the side, eyes unseeing on the couch. "Answers to those questions will have to wait, I'm afraid," he said, blinking his eyes and refocusing on Alfred's. "I have to go now." He started getting up while Alfred panicked, grabbing his sleeve and making him pause.

"Wait, what? You have to leave?" Alfred said, tightening his grip. "You'll come back right? I-I want to hear the rest of your story."

Ivan looked hesitant for a moment before he bent over slightly and cupped Alfred's cheek, running his thumb under one beautiful blue eye. "If you wish it, then yes, I shall return," he said, then leaned down enough to press his lips to Alfred's to steal a sweet goodbye kiss, then faded back to the Dream Realm, gone just as Ivan appeared.

* * *

**A/N-**

**Hello! Can anyone see where this is heading? Or any future complications?  
****Also, having more than one character with the same name gets confusing fast. Since Ivan is not technically Russian, I don't want to just nickname Dream Realm Ivan "Vanya." Although, I guess it could be from Ivan's father's side? His father was, well East-Slavic actually, but of the later on Russian branch, so the nickname works?**


	17. Chapter 17

"Hey Ivan," Alfred greeted, then noticed something and, confused, asked, "Why are you wet?"

"Uh, I was just in the shower but I couldn't wait to see you." He walked over to the chair that the other Ivan had just been sitting in and sat down, leaning forward to inspect Alfred. "Forget about that. How are you feeling? And where is everyone?" It was odd that no one would be at least in the room, even if they were asleep.

"I can't move my arm or neck much without some pain but other than that I'm pretty good." He looked around the room for the first time and found that, like Ivan had immediately observed, there was nobody in there except them. He hadn't noticed that when he'd woken up. "A-And, I...just woke up, so I don't know where anyone is." Better to play it safe then say he was just sitting there, alone for however many minutes his previous conversation had taken. Better to keep that a secret anyway, at least for now.

"I am sorry about the pain; I can do no more than I already have to stop it. There is only so much natural healing energy I can use before I have to use my own." He'd done what he could to stop the bleeding using the Earth's healing magic, but Arthur would have to properly heal the wound.

Demons could use other types of magic? This was news to Alfred. Arthur hadn't said anything about it when they were training. He'd said that Angels might have their own magic but nothing about Demons. "You can use natural magic? Like Arthur?" Alfred asked.

Ivan smiled at Alfred's curious yet fascinated expression. He was glad Alfred was awake and feeling well. "Yes, but only a limited amount before my own energy takes over." He held out his hand, which instantly flared green with the natural healing magic of the world. He let it run out so Alfred could see the black magic of a Demon overtake the green, becoming the dominant magic used, though flashes of green showed every once in a while. He let the magic go and dropped his hand. "I could only use that limited amount on you because I do not know what exposing you to direct demonic energy will do. Better safe than sorry, right?"

"Thank you for that, by the way. Saving me. That thing said it had distracted you or something, and I was so afraid I would die there, I-I..." He lowered his head slowly, still troubled by the events that had transpired. Though the other Ivan had calmed him, it would take a while for him to get over the attack.

Ivan grabbed his hands, holding the left one gentler than the right, and smiled at him in a reassuring way. "It's okay Alfred, I'm here for you. I promised to keep you safe and I will." He let go of Alfred's left hand and tilted his chin up, slowly once again because of the injury. "Everything's alright."

Now he was getting serious deja vu. Hadn't he just gone through this...? At least he knew what to do. He pulled his right hand away from Ivan's grip and placed it around his neck, like before, and brought Ivan's lips to his own. He was half expecting Ivan to tense up.

A little surprised at the sudden kiss, Ivan nonetheless kissed back. The hand that had been used to lift Alfred's head went to the side of his face, just to feel him, beneath his palm. He'd almost lost this, lost _Alfred_, and the thought hurt a lot more than expected. His other hand rested on Alfred's thigh, not moving, just for comfort because he was sure that was something Alfred needed at the moment.

They separated after a moment, though they remained close together. It was a very comfortable silence as they sat there, not saying anything and getting comfort from the other. Though they didn't say anything, their small actions, little touches and caresses, said everything: _I almost lost you; I'm glad I __have you; I want you to be safe; It feels good knowing you're there for me._

Alfred was the first to break the silence. "What happened, you know, when you got there and after." Though thinking about the attack unsettled him, he did want to know exactly what happened, as well as what happened to the thing that attacked him, if anything. Did it get away? Did Ivan kill it?

"What do you remember?" Ivan asked. Depending on how much Alfred knew he could base the events from that time.

"I remember everything until the end. It's a little blurry there." He remembered being in pain, and crying out, and the beast letting him go, but then things started getting dim.

"Okay..." Ivan thought about the dead animals and the blood around his living room. "Well—okay, let's start with what attacked you."

He leaned back so he wasn't as close to Alfred, but close enough(the chair was already right next to the couch; he wondered if someone had been sitting here earlier, but why so close?).

"The creature that attacked you was a half-breed. One of its parents was a type of Demon, while the other was most likely a werewolf. The werewolf genes allowed it to change easily from form to form, as well as have a convincing human disguise. The other parent was either an Incubus or a Succubus, types of Demons that steal life force through sex. Luckily, the werewolf aspect made it so that, to live, the creature only needed to absorb a being's magic or life force, which can be done through digesting the prey's blood or flesh."

The color had drained out of Alfred's face at his description. "So, that thing could have...taken my life...a different way?" He hoped Ivan understood what he was talking about because that was as close to what he meant to say as he was going to get.

Ivan narrowed his eyes. "No, those creatures need only eat blood or flesh, they do not need to use sex like the full blooded Demons." If thinking about Alfred dying was bad, thinking about him being raped, and for no reason other than pain, was extremely horrifying. Not only did it make him want to shield Alfred from the world, but he also wanted to go out and kill. Not very good.

Alfred nodded and motioned for him to go on. "It must have been watching you, because it knew what I was and that I was close to you. It has the ability to hide its scent, or not produce one at all, so I did not know what was happening when things started to go wrong. One day my keys would be misplaced, and another day my door would be jammed. When it made its move it would make sure I was preoccupied, and I was. Before I realized that you were missing, I had been cleaning my apartment. The walls had been covered in blood and there had been dead animals thrown around the living room. That is why I could not go to the bar; I had to clean my living room.

When I was finished, I was taking the animal carcasses and the blood stained rags out into the forest to burn them. It was after you got off work and when Arthur called me to ask if you were with me, as you hadn't come home. I was in front of an alley. There were drops of blood near the entrance that I recognized as yours, and with Arthur's words and the close proximity to the bar, I realized what had happened."

"So, if Arthur hadn't of called, if he'd been asleep..." The possibilities of what could have happened were so much worse than what did happen.

"I think it's best not to dwell on such thoughts. After that, I followed the trail of blood out into the forest, though I became lost. It was only your cry that directed my to your location. When I got there, it had already bitten you, and seemed wholly focused on its task. I hit it away from you, then paralyzed it. To make sure it didn't run I cut my wrist and let the blood flow into its mouth, as my blood would act like acid to its body."

Alfred looked concerned at that. "You hurt yourself? Are you okay?"

Ivan smiled and chuckled. "Yes Alfred, I'm fine. I healed it right away. You must learn to remember that, as supernatural beings, pain tolerance is dramatically increased. Cuts that would seriously hurt or even kill a human do not have such an effect on us."

Again, the distinction between human and something else was so strange to Alfred. Injuries like Ivan's cut, like his own shoulder, weren't strong enough to kill them. He probably wouldn't have been sitting up like he was if he was human again(but, had he ever been fully _human?_).

"When I was done with that I healed your wound as best I could and picked you up, then brought us here, where I laid you down on the couch then returned to the forest. As for what happened, let's just say I tortured it to death." Alfred didn't need to know the details of what he did. All he needed to know was that Ivan would kill for him.

He...tortured it to death? Alfred knew Ivan would kill it, but he didn't think of torture. "You tortured it? But—"

"Don't think that way Alfred," Ivan interrupted. "Its not good to take pity on your enemies, or wish them quick and painless deaths. If you want to survive, you have to be ruthless in your actions." He made sure he had Alfred's attention by looking right into his eyes. "That thing was trying to kill you. It almost succeeded too, had Arthur not called me. It didn't deserve to die without pain. You must understand this. There will be a time when you have to kill; do not let good intentions be your downfall."

Alfred was quiet as he took in that information. "Did something...are you talking from experience?" The way Ivan said that made it seem like he'd had a similar situation happen to him.

Ivan didn't say anything, just stood up and began lifting the back of his shirt. He turned around too, so his back was facing Alfred. "Yes, and this is what could happen."

There was a long scar stretching across Ivan's back, from shoulder to hip. It looked bad, even after all the time that had passed, and the healing ability Ivan had. It looked like it had hurt immensely too. Alfred stood up from the couch to better observe the scar. There were smaller ones around his back as well, but none of them came close to the sight of the largest one.

"What happened?" Alfred asked, bringing his good hand up to gently trace the scar.

"I was young, and careless, and I made a mistake," Ivan said, then turned around and lowered his shirt. "Don't let that happen to yourself. Nothing good comes from caring about your enemies." He gently placed his hand on Alfred's injury to bring attention to it. "Promise me you will be careful around things you do not know. It could have been so much worse."

Alfred looked up at him and smiled. "I promise," he said, bringing his arm up around Ivan's shoulders. He bent his other arm at the elbow to prevent too much movement and rested his hand on Ivan's upper back. Ivan wrapped his arms around Alfred's back to hold him close.

They stood there, hugging each other in a comfortable silence until a voice at the doorway drew their attention. "Ah _l'amour,_ there is no such sweeter thing in all the world." They separated to see Francis leaning against the door. He wiggled his eyebrows at them when they turned to him. Alfred rolled his eyes, though there was a light blush on his cheeks. "You know it isn't like that Francis, we were just comforting each other."

"_Oui, _but we all know what comes after, right?" The sly smile on his face was just begging to be slapped off.

Ivan's silent laughing and Alfred's reply were cut short by the sound of the door being unlocked, as well as voices sounding throughout the house. Arthur's voice could be heard as he argued with another male, and a female voice would chime in every so often. Confused, Alfred started walking toward the kitchen, Ivan following behind along with Francis.

Arthur was putting various supplies on the kitchen table with the help of Lovino and Bella, though Lovino seemed more interested in his argument with Arthur to be really much help. Alfred and Ivan watched on in confusion while Francis just watched. He already knew what was happening and what was going to happen. He clapped Alfred on his good shoulder and turned around to wake Matthew up, as he'd most likely want to know the "battle plans".

Bella was the first to notice them, gasping and walking up to Alfred. She wrapped her arms around him in a hug as she said, "Are you okay? How are you feeling? Do you need anything?"

Alfred just stood there, too shocked to really give an answer. Why were Lovino and Bella in his kitchen so early in the morning? And what was Bella talking about? His injury? Then how did she know about it?

"What do you...I mean, are you talking about...?" "Pull yourself together boy, I didn't teach you to stutter like a fool," Arthur said, staring at him with hands on his hips.

"Uh, I feel fine?"

Arthur shook his head at that. "Are you asking us? Tells us if you need anything already."

Alfred looked at Ivan for help but found him trying to hide his own smile at Alfred's misfortune. He even looked to Lovino, only to find him with a small amused smile as well. Lovino never smiled—and if he had, Alfred had never seen it—the bastard must be getting some kind of sick thrill out of watching Alfred get reprimanded.

"Well, my shoulder hurts—" "There, was that so hard?" Arthur asked, picking up a corked bottle and tossing it to Ivan, as Bella was still latched onto Alfred's front. "Drink that and you'll feel better."

Bella let him go and Ivan handed him the bottle, already uncorked. It didn't taste like anything in particular, which he was thankful for(potions were notorious for tasting terrible), and a few seconds later the pain lessened substantially. Even rotating his arm didn't hurt anymore. A green glow on his shoulder made him lift his shirt(which he noticed for the first time was different from the one he had been wearing earlier) to see what he assumed to be healing magic weaving the bite marks closed. When the glow died down there were only faint scars as proof of his attack.

"Wow, is there anything magic can't do?" Alfred asked. He continued lifting and rotating his arm to test out the magic's result.

"Nope, at least if you're willing to sell your soul," Bella answered him, which made him pause and ask the question that had been on his mind as soon as he'd entered the kitchen.

"Uh, why are...?" He flicked his eyes between Lovino and Bella, then settled them on Arthur. Bella answered him again. "When Lovino saw what had happened we were really worried—" "Speak for yourself," Lovino said, smile gone. "—okay, well, I was really worried, so I pestered him until he agreed to come here with me so I could check up on you!" She finished with a smile and leaned close to him. "He might not look it but Lovino was really worried about you too," she whispered.

"You saw? But, how..." Were they just going to let him make a fool of himself some more or were they going to fill him in?

Arthur sighed and picked up another bottle, then started walking to the living room. "Why don't we sit down and have a talk, hm? Come on, into the living room."

Lovino grabbed two chairs from the dining table and, handing one to Bella, walked into the living room, Bella following happily behind with a bounce to her step. Alfred was still confused, turning his questioning gaze on Ivan, who just shrugged and walked into the living room as well. Alfred followed behind after a second of rubbing his face with his hands.

There was a vague circle drawn by the placement of the chairs. Lovino and Bella sat on one side of the couch in the chairs from the kitchen while Francis, Matthew, and Arthur sat on the couch. Ivan had pulled the chair closest to the couch away and toward the other one, which he also pulled closer, so the two chairs were situated right next to each other, opposite Lovino and Bella.

"Alright," Alfred said as he walked over to the only open chair—next to Ivan—and sat down, "What is going on?"

"Would you like to...?" Arthur trailed off, looking at Lovino. Lovino gestured for him to go on. "Alright, well, to come right out with it, Lovino and Bella are mages." Alfred, Ivan, and Matthew turned to them in surprise.

"Is that so," Ivan said, an impressed look on his face. "You both hide it extremely well."

"You can use magic?" Alfred asked Bella, who nodded eagerly but didn't say anything. All this time they had worked at the bar together and he'd never known she was like Arthur. And Lovino was a major surprise. "What about Feliciano?"

Lovino sighed, looking irritated. "Feli does not know how to perform magic, nor does he know it even exists." He paused, expression indecisive before he continued, "He is also not my real brother." Again, Alfred, Ivan, and Matthew were shocked.

"But, if he's not your brother then how did...?" Matthew asked, but was unsure of how to finish that sentence. Lovino understood though. "I found him as a young child in Italy, abandoned. I knew he would die if I didn't take him in, so I did, moving to America around the same time so he could have a new start." That was...kind of Lovino. He was usually so tense and angry-looking, it was unusual of him to act so kind-hearted.

"You said earlier you saw Alfred being attacked. What did you mean?" Ivan asked, curious as to why Lovino and Bella knew about Alfred's experience. Lovino fidgeted in his seat.

"I'm not just a mage," Lovino said, "I'm a seer, and I saw Alfred's attack in a vision a couple days ago, and warned Arthur to stay awake so he could call Ivan, eventually leading to Alfred's rescue."

"You're a seer...?" Alfred asked the at the same time Ivan accused "You saw what happened but didn't tell anyone? Why wouldn't you warn us, or Alfred?" He didn't look happy about this information.

"Look, everything happens for a reason, okay? You should all know it's not smart to prevent the future from happening." Lovino defended, then turned his glare onto Alfred. "You needed to be attacked to realize that the dangers you face are very real, and that things you encounter in the Medium would love nothing more than to hurt you, or eat you, or tear you limb from limb and suck the life right out of you."

"I would have taken everything seriously, it's not like I would have goofed off and screwed everything up," Alfred said, glaring at Lovino as well now.

"My visions said different."

"Alright, alright, everyone calm down," Francis intervened. Alfred stopped glaring at Lovino but Lovino's glare seemed permanently stuck on his face. "Why don't you tell them what you told us?" Francis suggested, referring to Matthew, Alfred, and Ivan.

"Fine," Lovino agreed. "Obviously the threat here is the Alfred currently residing in the forgotten realm, correct? What needs to happen is—" "I have to exorcise the demonic presence from Al's body," Alfred said without really thinking about it. He clearly wasn't thinking about the questions he would get on how he knew that knowledge either.

Everyone looked at Alfred in surprise now, except Lovino, who narrowed his eyes. "Yes, that should work in freeing...Al, from his desire to destroy you."

"Alfred, how did you know that?" Arthur asked. The same question was written on everyone's face too. "I, uh, before I woke up, I had a really weird dream. Nothing like my nightmare," Alfred assured, "but just really disorienting and strange. There were flashes of memories I didn't remember living through, but I've come to realize that it was Al's life I had been witnessing."

"And these dreams showed you the future?" Lovino asked. Alfred frowned and tried to come up with a good excuse. He couldn't just tell them about the other Ivan's visit, everyone would freak out.

"Well, I saw some big battle, or something, and then myself and Al, only we looked exactly the same, and, uh, he hugged me." Alfred hoped that was enough to convince everyone he didn't have inside help.

"You figured that out all on your own, did you?" Lovino asked skeptically. Alfred looked insulted. "What are you saying? That I'm not smart enough to make sense of some things? I am the son of a mage, you know. Of course I'd know something about exorcisms." Really, couldn't they have faith in him? He may have been lying but it was for the best.

"Nobody's saying that Alfred," Matthew said, "We're just surprised you know that, that's all. We didn't know you had a dream."

Alfred sighed, slumping in his chair. "It's alright Mattie, I know." He looked over at Lovino. "So? What do we have to do?"

"In order to perform the task, you need to travel to Heaven, where Alfred has to learn how to exorcise using an Angel's power. Then you must find a Demon that can send you to the forgotten realm, preferably with no cost involved." Lovino turned to Ivan. "I recommend your sister, Katyusha. She will want to get involved in your little quest as well."

"Why would she want that?" Ivan asked, "This has nothing to do with her." Lovino shook his head and smiled again. "It has everything to do with her."

Leaving it at that, Lovino continued, "This will not be an easy thing to accomplish. As there are no other Angels to help, Alfred will have to learn from the records in Heaven, as well as how mages go about it. Confronting Al in the forgotten realm is also very dangerous. I cannot see into that realm, nor can I clearly see the actions of its inhabitants. You will have to journey there to find out what you have to do."

Bella checked the watch on her wrist and tapped Lovino's shoulder. "Feli will be at your front door soon, we should go. You know how he gets if he doesn't know where you are." Lovino nodded and addressed everyone again. "Does anyone have any questions? No? Then I will be back when Katyusha is here." He got up to leave but stopped briefly at Ivan's question of "Wait, she's coming here? When?" All he offered was "Soon" then he was dragging his chair back into the kitchen with Bella waving at them in goodbye, her chair being carried into the kitchen(Arthur was thankful for that, damn seer was going to scratch his floors).

The front door shut with a muffled slam yet no one had moved. Along with learning Lovino and Bella were mages, they had been told a lot of information.

Alfred didn't know if he could succeed in stopping Al. After all, Al was stronger than him, but then he remembered he had Ivan's help, and his family too. He knew everything would be okay. Only, he kept picturing both Ivan's in his mind. Alfred didn't know how, but he hoped that everything would end up alright.


	18. Chapter 18

**Warning: mentions of torture and blood.**

* * *

Now that they had a plan, something had to be done about their living situations. Defeating Al wouldn't just take a week or two, probably not even a month. They might be gone for years for all they knew(of course Lovino knew but he kept that info to himself). Arthur and Matthew worked on moving everything valuable or sentimental out of their house and into storage, where they could easily access it whenever they returned. Francis made arrangements for a new head chef and host at the restaurant, as he and Arthur had to quit. Alfred quit his job at the bar, which was a lot more drama-filled than he intended for it to be. Apparently Bella had quit the day before, and his boss was stressing over who to hire to replace her. When Alfred quit, the man nearly had a breakdown, and Alfred apologized profusely while walking towards the door, eager to get away.

Ivan was having the most luck out of all of them. Finding a new librarian was easy enough, and so was leaving his apartment(since they'd all been alive for so long, they had quite a bit of money stashed away, in various bank accounts under all their names. Money and leaving in a hurry would not be a problem). Francis had suggested Ivan staying with them, so planning and preparing could go smoother. Arthur had agreed, and so Ivan left his apartment, taking only small things he'd kept with him all his life; pictures, letters, documents. There was a problem though: his cat.

He loved the little furball, and hated seeing him go to a pound, or up for adoption. He wanted to know his cat's new owner would take care of him and love him. One day however, the answer as to what to do with Reykja showed up at the front door, in the form of a peppy Italian. Lovino had urged him to go and visit, so Feliciano obeyed and went to the house. He'd arrived just when Ivan and Alfred were stumped on what to do with the cat. Feliciano had seen it and instantly liked the big gray cat, petting him and talking to him in a baby voice. Feliciano had two other cats and Ludwig had a dog. The dog was nice around cats, Feliciano mentioned.

Ivan and Alfred had looked at each other and thought the same thing: What about Feliciano? Ludwig wouldn't mind having another cat(probably) and Feliciano obviously wouldn't say no. So Ivan had explained that he was leaving and that Reykja needed a new home. He asked Feliciano if he would take the cat. Feliciano had thought about it, but any resistance to the idea was thrown out the window by Reykja's meows and rubbing for attention. He'd scooped the cat up and accepted, asking when he should come back to pick him up. Ivan had said that there was no need to come back; Feliciano could just take him now.

As one final goodbye, Ivan had picked his cat up and thoroughly showered him with pets and love. The purring ball of cat had then been handed to Feliciano, who had assured he would take good care of the cat, and if Ivan ever came back, he could have his cat back. Ivan had thanked him and watched Feliciano carry Reykja off to his place, Alfred standing by his side and offering any comfort Ivan might need to lessen the pain of losing such a good friend. Alfred had experienced the same thing many times in his long life.

Things went smoothly for everyone except Matthew. Being a teacher of such young children, Matthew didn't want to leave them and have a new instructor teach them, especially when all teachers were different and had different ideas. It might throw the kids off, and Matthew wasn't willing to let them go through that. It was December, and he wanted to wait until the school let out in May, and although they weren't in a particular hurry, the faster Alfred could protect himself the better. So they made a compromise.

Arthur would continue training Alfred in the basics of magic control and offensive and defensive strategy. Ivan and Francis would occasionally join in, whether it be their advice or support or skills as demonstrations. When Arthur felt that Alfred was sufficiently ready to defend himself in battle, they would leave for the Medium. Whether it was passed May or not didn't matter; the kids would get over it and Matthew just had to suck it up. _Besides_, Arthur had said, not really meaning to guilt Matthew into anything, _what matters more? Some kids you're never going to see again or your brother's safety?_ Matthew had no choice but to accept the terms, and started right away on writing down his thoughts and future plans for the teacher who would take over his job.

* * *

"Good, hold that stance, now attack!-good, excellent work," Arthur nodded as he watched Alfred and Francis. Since they all had free time on their hands, training had really picked up. They practiced every week, multiple times and at all hours. Sometimes they'd train during midday, sometimes they trained during midnight. The midnight sessions were to accustom Alfred to random attacks they may face at night. He had to be prepared to wake up at a moment's notice, as well as be alert and ready to fight.

For a solid month since his and Matthew's discussion about when to leave, Arthur had been training Alfred hard. Drills to test stamina and reaction time were mixed with drills to switch tactics abruptly. He varied the length of each session, and always made sure to correct or congratulate Alfred when he needed or deserved it.

Alfred's control over his magic had grown exponentially under Arthur's tutelage. He dare say Alfred had more control than he did, but he couldn't really compare borrowed magic to natural magic; of course Alfred would have success in that department. One thing that did seem to be troubling for Alfred was blocking his mind from mental attack, which was bad. Al's whole game was mental, even the Dream Realm where he resided used mental tactics to let people dream. If Alfred couldn't get passed this hurdle he would be at a severe disadvantage when he faced Al.

"Alright, time for a break!" He yelled, gaining everyone's attention. Ivan was sitting next to him on benches they had constructed, observing the battle but not commenting. Sometimes Ivan and Alfred would spar, but Ivan was reluctant. It wasn't exactly that he was afraid of hurting Alfred, it was just that he didn't know if it would be a good idea for them to exchange magic in battle; they still weren't sure what would happen if they were exposed to each other's energy. Ivan knew what demonic energy did to Angels, and though he wouldn't be using nearly as much as permanently damaging an Angel took, he still didn't want to risk any adverse effects. He was slowly coming around though, as every "fight" that occurred between them ended only with sore muscles and bruises; they were unharmed any other way.

Alfred gave a sigh of relief and kneeled on the charred grass, panting slightly and letting his body relax from its tense fighting pose. He was definitely making progress in his training, but he hadn't been expecting such rigorous work. By the end of each day he was dead tired, and times when Arthur woke him in the middle of the night were especially brutal, but he persevered.

A nudge at his side had him turn his head and smile, petting the wolf next to him. Since werewolves fought in both their forms, Alfred would have to fight both forms. Matthew was usually busy either teaching classes or working on paperwork, so Francis was his opponent most days. It still amazed him watching the transformation, but the weird thing was that he could hear Francis speak in his wolf form, while Arthur and Ivan could not. He shared this with them, and though Ivan was surprised, Arthur had had a contemplative look on his face. Arthur had mentioned reading somewhere that it was fully within an Angel's capability to understand the thoughts and feelings of creatures like werewolves. Centaurs, minotaurs, satyrs, and any other being sharing half an animal body could think(as if speaking) and have an Angel understand them.

He stood up at Francis's urging and walked over to Arthur and Ivan. Ivan handed him a water and Alfred sat down next to him on the bench, drinking half the bottle in one go then leaning over to rest his head on Ivan's shoulder. Over the course of the month they had gotten closer to each other. When Francis had suggested Ivan stay with them he had subtly winked at Alfred, so only Alfred noticed. And Alfred did notice, and immediately knew what the sleeping conditions were going to be like.

Since Alfred and Ivan were seeing each other, it would make sense for them to sleep in the same bed. Alfred had been nervous at first, though he couldn't say why. Sure they had had sex, and yeah, sometimes Alfred would sleep at Ivan's place, but they would be doing this every day in the foreseeable future(when they got to the Medium, Alfred was sure the arrangement would continue).

But he'd been nervous for nothing. Even if they didn't _sleep_ together, being close and sharing the same bed made them connect more. Despite their natural feelings for each other(being complete opposites as an Angel and Demon) their personal feelings were enough to keep them grounded and level-headed. They got along great and had many pleasant conversations, in which they learned they were a lot alike, but still had some differentiating opinions. They both liked space, but had opposing political views. Ivan liked science fiction and murder mysteries, while Alfred liked action and horror.

"You've gotten much better," Ivan commented, rubbing Alfred's back in a soothing manner. Alfred looked up at him and smiled tiredly. "Thanks. I just wish training didn't make me feel so exhausted."

"Best to get used to it," Arthur said, sitting on the other side of Alfred, "You may have been getting better but I don't think you're quite ready to move on." Francis barked from where he was sitting in front of all three of them, choosing to remain in wolf form. Alfred snickered at whatever Francis said, then looked over at Arthur and burst out laughing. Francis seemed to be smiling as his tail wagged back and forth, obviously enjoying Alfred's reaction. Ivan and Arthur looked at each other, confused, then Arthur looked over at Francis and glared. Francis noticed and shook his head.

Arthur cut off Alfred's laughter by standing and saying, "Alright, time to get back to work, I think you've had enough of a break," then he tugged both Alfred and Ivan to their feet and pushed them out onto the clearing they'd made their training ground. Alfred complained the whole way to his spot while Ivan said nothing. "Get to it already!" Arthur commanded, then sat back down on the bench.

* * *

Alfred sighed as he flopped down on his bed, worn out from the long day of training. He had bruises on top of bruises, and probably some burns and scratches too. Alfred was almost asleep, right on the brink of unconsciousness when he felt the bed next to him dip and a warm hand run through his hair. He hummed his appreciation and managed to turn around, so he was facing Ivan. He mumbled out a "'night" and snuggled deeper into bed, fast asleep in a second.

Ivan continued petting Alfred's soft and slightly damp hair, from the shower they'd taken not to long ago. He watched Alfred sleep for a while before wrapping his arms around the blond and pulling him in closer, deciding to join him in slumber.

~~Dream~~

Alfred looked around the field he was standing in, recognizing where he was instantly from having visited it so many times. He walked on the path he was standing on until he came to a break in the tall flowers around him. He followed the break until he came upon his companion, who was relaxing on his back in a little clearing with no sunflowers and watching the clouds pass. Wordlessly, Alfred laid down with him and joined him in cloud watching, enjoying the false sense of warmth the fake sun provided. Even though he was dreaming, everything felt so real.

Since his family and Ivan were around him so much more than before, the other Ivan couldn't find an appropriate moment to visit Alfred, as he was almost never alone. So, he'd carefully visit Alfred in his dreams, which was much easier for him. He just had to be careful about alerting Al, since their peaceful dream could turn into a nightmare in a flash if Al found out. As it was, Ivan had been very good about keeping Al in the dark about his plans to help Alfred defeat him.

"Hey Vanya?" Alfred asked. Alfred had thought it confusing to call both Ivans "Ivan", so he'd asked the dream Ivan if he had a nickname. He'd said that his name had an equivalent or something like that in another language, one that his sisters used when he visited them. He told Alfred what it was and said, if it made Alfred less confused, he could use it.

"Yes?" Ivan answered. He enjoyed spending time with Alfred like this, even if he had to spend more time with Al as well so he wouldn't be suspicious when Ivan was gone for a while. Though, spending time with Al was a lot more unpleasant than spending time with Alfred.

"Do you think you can tell me the rest of that story? You know, the one about you and Al?" Alfred asked, turning onto his side to face Ivan. Ivan turned his head and raised an eyebrow. "Are you still interested in that?" he asked.

Alfred gave a sheepish smile and nodded. Ivan turned his gaze back to the clouds and the sunflowers looming over them. He sighed, "I cannot deny you. But I must warn you," he said, glancing over at Alfred, "what happened to Al was horrifying, and though I know you can handle the information, just prepare yourself for that, okay?" When Alfred nodded Ivan began.

"As I mentioned we met eighteen years ago, but we were not together all those years. A majority of those years were the happiest times of my life. It was four years ago when everything changed.

In Hell, unlike in Heaven, there is a Demon stronger than all the others. He is known as the Demon King. His heirs are stronger than normal Demons and all obey him, unless they want to die. I do not know if the King in my world is different or the same from the King in yours. The one in mine is very old; much older than any other Demons alive. He is also very powerful, but despite that, he is very power-hungry. So when it was reported to him that an Angel was alive of course he was interested.

He sent out a lot of Demons to capture Alfred, but they all fell. Every time a Demon confronted us, he would fall. The Demons sent by the King grew stronger and stronger, until one of the King's own sons approached us. Alfred and I were alone that time, and though we put up a good fight, we were defeated. We were tied up and carried off to Hell, to the King, who noticed that I was part Demon, yet with an Angel, their sworn enemies. I had stated that Angels had been dead for a long time, so there was no reason for them to be our enemies. He disagreed and decided I would be punished for being with Alfred. And the perfect punishment, he'd decided, was using my power to change Alfred into one of us. I knew what would happen, and desperately tried to either escape or change his mind, but he was resolute in his decision."

Ivan sighed and rubbed a hand across his face, then looked over at Alfred's. He was quiet and had a saddened expression. Ivan continued.

"We were brought over to an area with pillars and arches. I was tied to a pillar not to far away from were Alfred was tied to an arch, arms spread and feet just barely touching the ground. Then they tortured him. Right in front of me, they broke him, until there was no way he'd ever be the same person again. It was agonizing to watch, and many times I had to look away. The ground around him was stained with blood and the Demons torturing him were also splattered with it. Though the worst part was that they'd heal the wounds very quickly then start anew, cutting and stabbing and whipping.

Finally the King had declared enough, and I was unchained and forced to stand right in front of him. He looked unconscious; he didn't have enough energy to hold his head up, and he was sagging heavily on the chains binding his wrists. But just as they were going to force me to go through with it, he looked up at me and smiled."

Once again Ivan paused. He'd replayed this moment in his mind for four years ever since it happened. He'd been able to think about it without crying two years after it happened, but even now it still upset him. Alfred didn't say anything and let him have all the silence he needed.

"I resisted as much as I could, but I didn't last long. The pain of having to watch what had happened and then forced to do what they wanted, I didn't stand a chance at stopping it. Simple spells were used to channel my magic into his body. The torture had weakened him significantly, and though he'd stopped screaming from it, he did when he was corrupted.

It was strange to witness. Through the blurred vision from my tears, I could see his wounds mending themselves, and sense his presence changing. There was still Angel in it, but that part of him was surrounded by Demon. When it was done, they'd rechained me to the pillar and unchained Alfred from the arch, then carried him off to recover.

For a few days I had no idea what was happening to him. I didn't know if he'd survived or if his body couldn't handle it. All I could do was glare at anyone who passed. But, I didn't have to wait that long. When he was recovered they brought him out, so I could see what I'd unwillingly created. He looked physically the same, except for the look in his eyes and the smirk on his face. The major difference was how he felt. He felt...colder almost, even though he was technically warmer. He felt cold to me because he wasn't Alfred. It was at that moment that I realized that my Alfred was gone and when I started hating the bastard wearing his face.

But it didn't end there. Now that Al had been created, the King had to show his dominance. And he did, once again right in front of me, they fucked. Rather enthusiastically too. It was like a stab to the heart, or what was left after everything that had happened. To see the body I had known so many times be used for the pleasure of another was worse torture than anything I'd seen so far."

He paused again, close to the end of his tale. He didn't think he'd ever told anyone so much of what had happened. And now, ironically, he was telling Alfred. Looking over at him, he found that Alfred was still on his side, head now resting on his folded arms as he listened quietly.

"I was set free," he continued, looking back up at the sky, "and because it was my magic Al used I couldn't be killed. The King had congratulated me on making such a fine creature, to which I only glared weakly and hung my head. I was way to emotionally hurt to go against what he wanted, so I was forced to be around Al. The King had also taken a liking to Al, and warned that anyone who touched Al in a sexual manner or with those intentions would be killed with no mercy and no chance to defend themselves."

Alfred didn't say anything after he'd finished, and neither did he. It was amazing he still knew so much of what had happened, though he suspected it was because it was so traumatic that it was branded in his memories, as much as he sometimes wished he couldn't remember anything. Finally Alfred spoke.

"I'm so sorry that happened Ivan. Nobody deserves to go through something like that," Alfred said quietly, reaching a hand out and laying it on Ivan's arm. "But, how did you end up in the Dream Realm if the King liked Al so much?"

"Ah, yes, well, just because no one could touch Al didn't mean he wouldn't welcome it. He disobeyed the King a lot in that way. It was only a matter of time before he even thought about me. He remembered the time we'd spent together. He remembered what we were supposed to be to each other and used that to his advantage to get what he wanted. But of course, we were caught. Out of all the Demons Al had seduced, it was me he was caught with. The King had been furious, but Al actually came to my defense. The King was threatening to kill me, but Al had reminded him that he needed me to use his twisted energy, and even if I was gone, he'd seduce another Demon. It was there he let slip that he'd already slept around without the King's knowledge, and as the King couldn't just kill us, decided that maybe a few years in the forgotten realm would straighten us out. So he banished us here."

"I had no idea Al was so...promiscuous like that. I can't even begin to imagine doing something like that," Alfred said, eyes wide at this information. Al was such a bastard, how could he do that to Ivan?

"Well, he doesn't have anyone else but me now, so he's been pretty loyal in that regard, but I don't know if he's still like that."

Alfred looked at him funny. "You two still...?" Ivan nodded and looked slightly ashamed. "Yes, though they are very violent times. The only thing I can call it would be hatefuck. There is simply no other way to describe what we do."

"Sounds...painful," Alfred said, frowning. What a horrible relationship they had, though now that he knew the story it seemed like something they would end up having. Still, it was very dysfunctional and probably very abusive.

"I can't say it is always an enjoyable time, but it does its job," Ivan said. "It makes the good memories all the more valuable to me."

"Well I could—I mean, if you wanted...you don't have to remember anymore," Alfred stuttered, face becoming increasingly red. Why had he offered that? What was he thinking?

Ivan furrowed his eyebrows as he sat up. He looked down at Alfred. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Alfred swallowed heavily as he tried to stop himself from saying, "If you wanted, I wouldn't mind...you know...with you." though he didn't succeed and said it anyway. Ivan looked more confused until realization dawned. "Alfred," he said, a disbelieving tone to his voice, "are you offering...to have sex with me?" If he was honest with himself, he wouldn't turn down the invitation. But he wanted to know what made Alfred say that.

"Y-Yeah, I guess I am," Alfred said, sitting up as well. The warm wind blew through the sunflowers and ruffled their hair and clothes. Neither said anything for a while, they just stared at each other.

"Alfred, you don't have to offer something like that if you feel you have to. I've lived without regular sex for four years already, I can continue to do so." Ivan didn't want Alfred to feel pressured into doing something with him if he really didn't want to.

"No, no, I don't feel that way, it's just..." How did he explain this? He knew what he felt but it was difficult putting into words. "Ever since a dream I had I've been feeling different towards you. I know that I'm already with Ivan, but, I can't see being with you as any different." He sighed and looked down at the soil they were sitting on, moving some of it around with his fingers. "I'm here for you," he said, looking back up at Ivan, "if you need it."

Ivan smiled after a moment of silence. "Thank you Alfred, I—" A stronger and colder gust of wind blew through the sunflower field. Clouds covered up the sun and the warmth was drained from around them. "You have to wake up now," Ivan said, putting his hands on Alfred's arms, "You have to go before he finds you here." Without giving Alfred a chance to respond he forced Alfred awake.

~~End Dream~~

Despite the hurry with which he left the dream, he woke up slowly, warm in his bed with Ivan next to him, sound asleep for once. Only once had Ivan actually slept when he did, and never had Alfred woken up before Ivan. Of course he was forced awake but he counted it. He squinted his eyes to make out the blurry numbers of the clock on the nightstand next to him. It was around four in the morning, so Ivan and Arthur would most likely be waking soon.

He decided to hold off on returning right back to sleep and slowly and carefully, so he wouldn't wake Ivan, turned to face him, as he'd apparently turned over in his sleep. He observed Ivan's face much like Ivan had done to him and thought about Vanya's* past. He rested a hand on Ivan's cheek.

He couldn't imagine that happening to him and Ivan. He didn't want to imagine that happening to them. It sounded like Vanya had been in incredible pain, both physically and emotionally, though more so emotionally. He didn't want to think about that being them. And hadn't Al mentioned killing Arthur, Francis, and Matthew? How could he do that in any condition. He loved his family too much to hurt them, much less kill them. He just couldn't wrap his head around Al's actions. He scooted closer to Ivan and dropped the hand from his face, resting it instead between them. He fell asleep like that, warm and feeling safe next to the other.

* * *

"You know, this is probably what Lovino meant," Matthew said. It was Saturday, and Arthur had allowed them to skip the day's training, simply because everyone was too tired. Ivan paused from where he was just about to hit send on his phone. "What do you mean?" he asked Matthew. "Well, Lovino said your sister would be here, and that she was involved somehow, right? He probably saw what you're doing right now, though I don't know if he knew he was the cause of that. All I'm saying is that you're doing what he wants."

"Very likely, but if she knows something then I should ask her." Ivan hit send and Matthew returned to making the pancakes Alfred(who was sitting at the table with Ivan) had begged him for. Arthur and Francis were...somewhere doing...something. They don't tell him a lot about where they go and what they do.

Ivan waited for his sister to pick up and went over everything he was going to say to her. He had to tell her enough to get her interested but not so much that she couldn't back out. Hopefully everything would go alright. "_Hello?_" she answered in Ukrainian. "_Hello sister, it's Ivan,_" he responded, also in Ukrainian. She seemed delighted he'd called.

"_Oh, Ivan! How nice of you to call! Is there a reason?_" He almost responded with 'do I need a reason to call family?' but decided to get right to it. "_Sister, I need you to tell me everything you know about Angels,_" he said, gripping the pen in his hand, ready to take notes should he need to. There was silence before she answered him. "_Oh dear, I think this is a conversation we need to have in person. See you soon, Vanya!_" then she hung up before Ivan could stop her. He took the phone away from his ear and ended the call, then set it down in front of him.

"So?" Alfred asked, "What did she say? Your talk was pretty short." Ivan blinked at Alfred. "She's coming here, right now," he said. "She'll probably be here any minute." Alfred sat up from where he was slouching in his seat. "Really? But what about m—" "Don't worry," Lovino said as he walked into the kitchen, completely startling the other occupants. "Everything will work out, just watch."

"When did you get here?" Matthew asked, "And—" "Yes, I would like some pancakes," Lovino interrupted, already knowing what Matthew was going to ask. "And I said I'd be here when Katyusha was, didn't I?" Matthew closed his mouth and started on making more pancakes while Lovino sat down next to Ivan. A call from the living room drew there attention. "Ivan? Where are you?" The female voice was accented but the English was easily understood. "In here!" Ivan answered, and waited for his sister to come into the room. He hadn't seen her in so long it was weird that she was suddenly here.

"Oh Ivan, I've missed you...so much..." Her sentence was cut short as she entered the kitchen and saw everyone sitting there, especially Alfred. Right away she could tell what he was and that made tears come to her eyes. After all these years of wondering what had happened to him and if he was alright, here he was, sitting and watching her with wide eyes, eyes that she'd seen in her dreams for a long time after she'd given him to Arthur. "Oh, my..." she covered her mouth and gave a little laugh. "It's you, I can't believe you're here."

Ivan stood up and went over to his sister, giving her a hug and wiping her tears away. "What is wrong Katyusha, why are you crying?" He hadn't missed the fact that she'd been staring at Alfred when she said that. Going out on a limb Ivan asked, "Do you know Alfred?" He gestured at Alfred in case she didn't know his name.

"Alfred? Is that what Arthur named you?" Katyusha asked Alfred. She smiled in thanks at Ivan and slowly walked over to the table, sitting down on the chair at the head of the table, with Alfred on her left. "I'm sorry for this, but I...I haven't seen you in so long I-I just can't help myself," she said, tears starting up again. Ivan sat back down and put his hand on her hand, then looked at Lovino with a questioning gaze. Lovino shook his head and dug into the pancakes Matthew had just placed in front of him.

Alfred was confused, and let everyone know it by the expression on his face. "I'm sorry but, I don't think we've met before?" He was sure he would remember meeting Katyusha, she had a rather...noticeable part of her. But if she was Ivan's sister he didn't think he'd ever met her, so how'd she know his name? She mentioned Arthur, maybe they knew each other? "You mentioned Arthur?"

Wiping away her tears and squeezing Ivan's hand, she smiled. "We met a long time ago, but I don't blame you for not knowing. You were very young when I found you." Lovino put down his fork and stared at Alfred while Ivan stared at Katyusha. What did she mean "find him"?

Alfred almost missed that, from how casual she'd said it, but he caught it. He opened his mouth but nothing came out, as he couldn't figure out a way to ask any of the questions floating around his mind. Lovino cleared his throat and brought attention to himself.

"Katyusha, why don't you tell us the story of how you saved a very important person a long _long_ time ago," Lovino said. She took her attention away from Alfred to squint at Lovino, as if noticing him for the first time. "Is that you Lovino?" she asked, then smiled brightly, "Is this were you've been?" Lovino smiled back at her(and wasn't that a strange thing to see on his face; Alfred was still unused to that curve of lips on Lovino) and nodded. "Would you?" he urged again.

"Let's see, the one with—oh! Yes, of course I can." She waited until Matthew sat down and handed Alfred and Ivan plates of pancakes, then started on his own.

"A long time ago, way before—" she stopped and blinked at Matthew. "I'm sorry, I don't think we've met. I'm Katyusha, Ivan's older sister." Matthew stopped chewing and glanced around to see if see was speaking to him. Swallowing the pancake in his mouth, Matthew greeted, "I'm Matthew, Alfred's brother." She nodded and continued. "As I was saying, a long time ago before Matthew or Ivan and probably Lovino was born, I lived in what is now present day Ukraine. I was secluded from any major town but had a decent life. As a Demon—oh, you all know I am a Demon right?" She looked worried until everyone nodded. "Great! As a Demon having escaped from Hell and my father, I didn't want to cause any harm to humans by attracting attention from anything seeking me out to them.

One day, while I was gardening I heard a great crash in the distance. Curious, I walked out into the forest surrounding my little cottage and looked for the source. Imagine my amazement when I came across, not a fallen tree but a fallen Angel!" Alfred choked on the food in his mouth at this. Matthew patted him on the back a few times until he breathed again, then asked Lovino, "Does she—?", to which Lovino interrupted with, "Yes, now shush," and put a finger to his lips, then, with an apologetic tone to his voice, told Katyusha, "Please, continue."

"Well, the Angel was alone from what I could tell, and had just died when I got there. I'll never forget what that was like. I suppose being a Demon has made me appreciate a beautiful death when I see one, but this was extraordinary. Truly sad, but incredibly fascinating nonetheless. While the Angel died, I watched in silence and observed. When it was gone I started back for my cottage. But when I got there I noticed something right away. There was a baby on my doorstep when there had clearly not been one there before. And from the presence it had around it, I could tell it—he—had come from the Angel I had just witnessed die.

The cute thing was only a baby, so I had to take him in and care for him. I knew that being cared for by a Demon might be bad for the little Angel, but I got so attached to him. I didn't name him though, which is why I think giving him up was easier than it should have been. Anyway, I spent years caring for the little Angel, and when the civil war in heaven ended and Angels were reported to have wiped themselves out I knew that the little baby I was caring for was most likely the last Angel in our world.

I finally decided to give the little baby up, so he could possibly have a better life than one with a Demon. And the perfect opportunity had presented itself. A traveling mage, and one good with children! It was as if everything was fated to happen. So I left the Angel in a basket and put him where the mage would see him. Then I never saw them again."

Ivan stared with wide eyes, Alfred and Matthew stared with opened mouths, and Lovino glanced between everyone with a smug expression on his face. Katyusha saw all their expressions and looked at Lovino. "That's the story you were talking about, right?" Lovino nodded but nobody said anything, and how could they? They'd just found out that Ivan's older sister had cared for Alfred when he was a baby. Seriously, what were the chances everything would connect like that?

"So...you...?" Ivan tried, only to be interrupted by Alfred. "I don't get it. So...you care for me? When I was a baby?" Katyusha smiled and nodded happily. Alfred continued to stare at her, then turned to Lovino. "What...?" Lovino gave him a pointed look.

"Why is this so hard to believe?" Lovino said, shrugging his shoulders and pushing his cleared plate away from him. "Look Alfred," he said, "Your mother gave her life to make sure you would live. If Katyusha hadn't of been there you would have died."

A sudden memory came to Alfred, though it had no image. It was a low sound, barely loud enough for him to make out. A gentle female voice was talking to him. "..._little one?_" he said, in a very old tongue Katyusha and Ivan hadn't heard for a while. Katyusha, tears seeming uncontrollable, practically threw herself at Alfred to hug him. Alfred for his part remained rigid, surprised by the sudden affection, but managed to awkwardly pat her shoulders as she stained his shirt. Ivan shook his head and rolled his eyes at his sister's actions.

"This is—do Arthur and Francis know?" Matthew asked, silently observing Katyusha and Alfred interact. Lovino glanced at him. "About Katyusha? No, they don't. Won't they be thrilled though, huh?" Lovino said, nudging Matthew with his elbow. "I don't know if "thrilled"'s the word," Matthew responded. Lovino just shrugged again.

"Alright, everybody to the living room," he said. Standing up, Lovino made his way there. "Katyusha, you can ask Alfred all the questions you want later. There are going to be two men joining us soon that would love to here your story."

Similar to Alfred, Matthew, and Ivan, Arthur and Francis stared at her. Their recovery was much quicker however. Arthur wasted no time in asking her question after question, while Francis cut in every once in a while. After a few minutes of this and a steadily shortening fuse, Lovino interrupted them. "Well! I know this must be an interesting conversation topic for the three of you, but we really must move on if we want something done about the problem at hand, so if you don't mind?" His tone was sarcastic and sickly sweet at the same time and succeeded in changing the topic.

Directing his next question at Katyusha Lovino asked, "Please Katyusha, tell us everything you know about Angels and Dark Angels."

* * *

**A/N-**

**Just to get a sense of time, it is January and a little more than two months have passed since Ivan and Alfred met.**

***When Alfred and Ivan are together, I call them by their names. When Alfred and the other Ivan are together, I call them by their names as well. But if Ivan and the other Ivan are together, the Ivan from the Dream Realm is Vanya. Does that make sense? So I will tell which is with Alfred, but if there aren't two Ivans, they don't need to be called by their nickname. So if I mention Ivan and the other Ivan in the same sentence, the 'real' Ivan is "Ivan" and the other Ivan is Vanya. I could just call the other Ivan Vanya in the narrative, but I don't like the nickname enough to have him called that the rest of the story.**


	19. Chapter 19

**My personal thoughts on suicide are not reflected here.**

**Warning: brief thoughts and talk about suicide, and violence at the end.**

* * *

The only sound in the living room was that of a pencil scratching lightly at a piece of paper, no real purpose to the short and jerky lines, and the result of the a mind lost in thought. The paper was attached to a notebook which rested on the bouncing knee of a young man so deep in thought that he did not acknowledge the presence of another man sit down across from him.

Alfred knew, from when he saw Al for the first time and from what Ivan had told him in his dreams, that Dark Angels and Demons were not to be taken lightly. What Al was...he was so much more powerful and in control than Alfred was that, after hearing Katyusha detail the destructive power Demons had and the ability of theirs to corrupt other creatures, Alfred was starting to worry.

And as his worry increased the more he thought about his situation, so too did the feelings of helplessness and inevitability.

He didn't ask to be an Angel. He didn't ask to be involved in such a dangerous adventure. Why did his life have to be so different? A month ago he'd been a normal guy with a normal job and a less than normal family. Now he was some(supposedly)powerful being who could potentially learn how to banish a crazy darker version of himself. And they expected him to just...except that, with no objection?

Yes, he could see that, if he ignored the problems circling around him he'd eventually end up dead. Even now he wondered why Al hadn't come in the middle of the night and stolen him away(the scary part was that Alfred knew he wasn't one for simple solutions. In that regard they were similar; Al wanted a big showdown). Then treasonous thoughts floated through his mind. _Let _Al have him. Go to him and allow himself to be killed so that he wouldn't have to struggle with the continuous flow of information any longer. He could do it so easily too, all it would take was getting away from his family and walking into the woods, far away until he was alone and shout to nothing that he didn't want to do this anymore. He knew Al was watching and listening.

Immediately following the thoughts of ending his own life would come crushing guilt and horror at his own stupidity. How could he even think about killing himself? Even if he wouldn't be the one to actually end his life, he wouldn't just stand there and let himself die, like in his nightmare. And how selfish could he be, wishing for his own relief and completely overlooking how his family and friends would feel?

The pencil gradually came to a stop, the internal argument over actually _contemplating_ allowing Al to have his way and doing the right thing taking up all his attention.

Lovino sat, unmoving and observant, across from Alfred. They were the only two back in the living room after Katyusha had shared her knowledge of all things dark and demonic. Contrary to what she believed being the child of a Demon King did not mean she was inherently evil and could do no truly good deeds. Having seen her past and parts of her future Lovino could easily say that Katyusha had done enough truly good and selfless deeds for many lifetimes. One good deed, probably the most important out of all of them, was currently staring at a half filled page of notes and a dark spot of short pencil marks.

Out of all the things Lovino hated about his power was its limitations. He could see the past, the present, and the future, but oftentimes the flashes and images were out of context or in no way related to each other. First discovery of his ability had been the most confusing time of his long life but as he got older he learned to pick out what was important and how to make a single picture make sense without proper explanation, as there was no one who could tell him what his visions meant.

That combined with his inability to read minds was what he hated most. Its not like seers normally read minds. They couldn't; they saw everything except inside someone's mind. But oh how Lovino wished he could. Centuries of practice told him that Alfred was feeling distraught and conflicted over something, and Lovino would give anything to be able to read his mind in this one moment. Maybe that could shed some light on why he kept seeing the Angel's death.

Not every death was at the hands of his counterpart but every one certainly helped that soulless bastard. Even when Al had no influence at all in the death he still reaped the rewards. He didn't need Alfred alive to steal the magic within him; it was in his blood, not his body or mind, where the purest form of magic could be extracted from. That's what Al wanted, and that's what Lovino wanted to prevent. Even though he hadn't known about Al and Ivan until they entered this world, he wanted to protect Alfred.

That was another limitation. He couldn't see into the forgotten realm, which was really stupid because that's where all the crazy, out of control people were sent when they disobeyed or crossed a Demon. Hence why Al was sent there. All these beings, having been cast there to learn a lesson, learn instead that they now have the power to enter another world. They were ghosts yes, but that didn't mean they couldn't have an impact on the world. After all, ghosts were known throughout the world as being scary untouchable creatures. And if they got powerful enough, they could directly influence real objects, which Al and Ivan could do, as he saw from their first entrance. The way Al could both touch and use a fraction of his magic and the way Ivan could block and attack was an indicator that they'd already learned how to breach the veil, at least partially. This was Lovino's problem; if he could look into the forgotten realm he could have seen Al there and if he could read minds he could have figured out what he was planning.

So he would sit there, observing as he always did, and try to piece together Alfred's uncertain future. He refocused on Alfred when he saw the pencil stop and his leg stop bouncing. A glimpse of the future came to his mind and—oh.

Glaring at him Lovino picked up a pillow and threw it at Alfred, startling him enough to make him jump and knock the notebook off his lap. He stared incredulously at Lovino.

"What the hell was that for?" Alfred demanded. He picked up the pillow and threw it pack at Lovino, who caught it easily—having already seen him do it—and set it down next to him, still glaring. Alfred bent over to pick up the fallen notebook. "You know what that was for," Lovino hissed, "Thinking about giving up huh? Are you that weak?"

Alfred froze and gave him a confused and hurt look. Slowly he righted himself, his expression morphing from that hurt look to one of carefully controlled anger. "I'm not weak, and what are you talking about?" he asked. Lovino scoffed, "Did you forget I can see the future? I can see all the outcomes of your stupid thoughts to kill yourself. There have been a lot lately and honestly I'm sick of seeing your pointless failures."

Gritting his teeth, Lovino's words the last thing he wanted to hear, Alfred stood up. "I don't have to sit here and take this. You don't know one fucking thing about what I'm going through so shut your damn mouth." With those lovely parting words Alfred started walking away. One step from leaving the living room, Alfred paused to listen to Lovino's words.

"I know enough about you to know that you'd never even consider giving up. I have watched your whole life, and not just the you from this world; I've seen all the different versions of you and I can say with confidence that Alfred F. Jones does _not_ give up without a fight. So I don't know who the fuck you think you are but obviously you're not one of those great individuals who have always done the right thing _because_ it was the right thing," Lovino said with an angry tone and a hard stare to the back of Alfred's head.

Those words cut through him like a hot knife through butter. Slightly trembling, his anger burned up by crushing depression, Alfred dropped to his knees and slammed his fists against the hard wood floor, splintering the wood around the small crater he made. Lovino sighed and stood up, walking over to him until he was right next to him. Crouching on one knee, he laid a comforting hand on Alfred's shoulder.

"I'm not trying to hurt your feelings or anything like that. I just want you to know how sad it is to see such a bright beacon of hope like you give up, and to such a dick too. You're better than Al, even if you don't see it yet. You're family believes in you and you're friends believe in you. Katyusha hasn't seen you in hundreds of years and already she knows you can accomplish anything. Ivan, Bella, and myself also know that you can overcome this challenge. You're not weak Alfred; you're very strong and you shouldn't doubt yourself," Lovino said, uncharacteristically soft. It wasn't like him to comfort others but he could if the situation called for it and Alfred definitely needed a pick-me-up before he, literally, got himself killed.

Trembling have receded, Alfred rubbed his hand across his eyes and then look up at Lovino in gratitude. "Thanks for that," he said. "I was beginning to think that you were an emotionless bastard all the time. It's good to know I'm wrong." Lovino wanted to punch that cheeky smile off Alfred's face.

Removing his hand and standing up all the way, Lovino snorted. "Can't believe I wasted my breath on you. I help you through some sort of idiotic mental breakdown and you call me a bastard? I'm never helping you again." He made to leave but stopped when Alfred grabbed his arm. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding," he laughed, standing up properly as well. A truly thankful look came to his face. "Seriously, thanks for what you said. I needed it." Lovino smiled at him then went into the kitchen.

Alfred sat back down on the chair and thought about Lovino's words. He was still unsure if he could really defeat Al...but he had to try. Lovino was right, it wasn't like him to give up. All his life he'd been one to follow everything through to the end. He shouldn't stop just because he learned he wasn't human. He should be using his powers to ensure the safety of not only his friends and family but also the safety of the people of his world.

Yet, he couldn't just banish the thoughts about giving up. He was still wary about fighting Al, even if he wouldn't have to kill him, if what Vanya said was true. Speaking of Vanya...Alfred could really use some comfort right now, so easily switching his thoughts to Ivan he went off to look for him.

* * *

"Alfred, my God, will you just relax for a moment?" Arthur said. Alfred, who was walking(more like bouncing) _right next to him_, smiled and stopped crowding Arthur, but he didn't stop his bouncing. "I'm sorry, it's just—flying! Can you believe it? I can't wait! I know it'll be awesome!"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Yes yes I know you're excited but can you please control yourself? And you should know that flying is much harder than it looks, especially since you've only ever controlled four limbs and not six." Alfred stuck his tongue out at Arthur's back. Matthew elbowed him in the ribs. "Ah! Jeez Mattie. Besides," he said to Arthur, "you know I'm the best pilot there ever was."

Ivan glanced at Alfred. "You're a pilot?" he said. Alfred turned to look at him. "I never told you that?" he asked. Ivan shook his head. "Oh, well, as I said I'm the best there ever was and probably ever will be. And that's the straight truth. This one time—"

"Looks like we're here! You're going to have to hold that thought Alfred, it's time to get to work," Arthur said hurriedly. He'd heard Alfred's stories about planes and clouds and stormy weather plenty of times and he really didn't care to hear them again. They arrived at the usual clearing for training. "Alright, now," Arthur said, turning around and addressing Alfred, "as I do not have wings, nor have I ever flown, I will not be teaching you. As I understand it calling out your wings is similar to how Matthew and Francis transform. Luckily we have Katyusha, who has wings in her Demon form. We will try different techniques until you find one you're comfortable with. Matthew will go first."

Arthur walked over to the bench and Matthew walked out into the clearing, several feet away from Alfred. He took a deep breath and started removing his clothes.

"Bro, what uh...what are you doing?" Alfred asked. Matthew gave him a pointed look. "I'm taking off my clothes so they aren't damaged. If I can avoid ripping them I'd like too." Once he was finished he was standing in his boxers, his other clothing tossed to the side. "Now, pay attention. Ever since I was created I could feel the wolf. It's hard to explain to someone who isn't half human half whatever, but having two sides isn't as hard as it may seem. When I am in human form I feel human; I think like a human and I follow basic human instincts, but at the same time I know that I am half wolf and that influences my actions. The same happens when I am in wolf form. I feel like a wolf and such but I know that I am half human and that helps with controlling the stronger, more primal urges I get. Just because I'm a wolf doesn't mean I can kill whatever or whoever I want, right?" Alfred nodded.

"Alright." Matthew braced his feet apart and changed. The whole transformation was very quick but Alfred saw it clearly. His skull elongated at the same time his spine and limbs stretched out. The dirty blond hair on his head spread out to his entire body. With a heavy thud Matthew sank to all fours. _"I can change so easily whenever I want because it is like I am always a wolf. Do you understand?"_ Matthew's words rang through his head despite his mouth remaining firmly shut. Alfred scratched the back of his neck. "I think i do...so it's like I always have wings I just have to learn how to show and hide them?" He got a nod.

Looking over at Francis, Alfred asked, "Is it the same for you?" Francis nodded and began taking off his clothing as well. "Yes," he said, "it is like, when I want to change I simply picture myself as a wolf and my body does the rest." He changed like Matthew, their coloring very similar save for Francis being a lighter blond. "_See? It is easy."_

"Wait, why'd you change too?" Alfred asked. Arthur spoke up. "When we are finished here you will accompany Francis and Matthew to look for an herb for a spell I need to perform. Entering the Medium without the spell will be too much for your body to handle." Alfred furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean too much? How is it too much?" Arthur sighed. "Look Alfred, I'm not calling you weak or anything. Everyone has trouble entering the Medium for the first time. Without proper preparation you could, at the very worst, become comatose. At the very least you could get a headache. Once you've been there the spell won't be needed, but seeing as how only you and Matthew haven't been there you need it." Alfred eyed him for a moment then dropped his gaze and gestured to the two wolves sitting together. "Alright, alright, I understand. Now what."

"Try and call out your wings," Arthur urged. _"If you don't want to ruin your shirt I suggest you take it off,"_ Matthew advised. Alfred hesitated(it was the middle of winter, after all) but finally pulled his shirt off. Ivan whistled at him, which Alfred responded to by glaring sharply at him and flushing an embarrassed red, most likely because his family was there.

This wasn't the first time Ivan had seen part of Alfred's markings, and it wasn't the first time he'd seen Alfred shirtless, but it was the first time Ivan would be seeing Alfred use magic while shirtless. Since it was so cold outside, the only part of the markings he could see where Alfred's eyes, which lit up completely, and the hollow circles on the back of his hands. And all the other times Alfred had been shirtless he hadn't been using his magic. So Ivan was curious as to how the markings looked in their entirety.

Throwing his shirt and sweater to the side, Alfred closed his eyes and tried to envision himself with wings. But it was harder than he thought. For one, he had no idea what they looked like. Were they white or a color like his hair? Did they have thick and fluffy feathers? Or were they thin and sleek for flight? It was easier for Matthew and Francis because they knew what their wolves looked like but Alfred didn't know what his wings looked like.

"I can't do it," Alfred huffed, opening his eyes and crossing his arms, "I can't picture what they look like. I've never seen them, or any wings that an Angel might have. Is there another way to try this? I'm cold."

"Let me think," Arthur said. He knew that he, along with Ivan, Francis, and Matthew had seen the wings, right after Al and Ivan where banished from their house, but he didn't think they could accurately describe them to Alfred. It was so sudden and it was impossible to focus on one detail. Plus, he'd been glowing brightly so that had partially blocked the wings from view. "Katyusha...?" Arthur tried, "You have wings right? Do they happen to be feathery?" He also knew that Demons normally had wings like bats but it never hurt to hope for exceptions.

Tapping a finger to her lips, Katyusha regarded Arthur. "Yes, would you like me to show him?" Arthur nodded. "If you would please." She stood up from the bench and walked towards the wolves, who instinctively walked a little away from her instead of simply passing right by her. They couldn't help it; it was obvious she wasn't going to hurt them but she was so powerful they had to be careful. Once standing a few feet away from Alfred she turned and smiled at him.

"I do not know if Angels and Demons use magic in the same way but I can assume they are similar. You can feel your magic right? Even when you are not using it you know it is there?" A nod. "Great! Then maybe this will work. Unlike Angels, Demons have many stages to their true form, which we usually take on only in times when our lives are at stake. It is either a battle with an Angel or another Demon when we use those forms. Not all the forms are the same. For example," she turned to her brother, "what does your true form look like?"

"Well I have a tail, fangs, claws, and horns. And the eyes of course. If there is one thing we all have it is the same kind of eyes; slitted white pupils surrounded by our natural eye color," Ivan answered. Katyusha smiled back at Alfred. "I do not have horns in my true form, but I do have wings. For younger Angels like yourself all you have to focus on is one set of wings."

"...One set? What does that mean?" Alfred asked while rubbing his palms along his arms. Arthur answered this time. "Some Angels have been seen with as many as six separate wings, or three sets. However, no one knows what gives them extra wings or if they even need them."

"You don't have to worry about any of that though, at least not right now. You just have to focus on the one set, okay?" Alfred returned his attention to Katyusha. "Now, I don't want you to panic. Ivan has informed me that you two have sparred and that being around his energy has not effected you but as a full-blooded Demon my own energy is far stronger. I do not want to cause you unnecessary trouble. I will start out slowly." With that she began channeling her magic into her hand, holding it out so Alfred could the dark purple energy swirl around it.

Alfred tensed as he felt the foreign energy in the air. It was noticeably different than Ivan's, and he could tell because being exposed to this made him want to destroy the source while Ivan's hadn't had nearly that strong of an effect. He dropped his hands to his sides and clenched his fists loosely, as if he was about to enter a fight right then. He'd never wanted something destroyed so much in his life and he couldn't believe that Katyusha was holding back. Already this little amount of demonic energy felt enough to drive him crazy.

"Are you okay Alfred?" Katyusha asked. She noticed him tensing but kept up the steady channel of magic. "Yeah...it's just...I don't really know how to feel. I mean, I know it's you and that you wouldn't intentionally hurt me but at the same time that magic is so strong and...and corrupt I can't help but feel like it has to be destroyed."

"There's nothing wrong with having a natural reaction," Katyusha reassured, "You are holding up very well though, I must admit. For an Angel to resist Demon's magic after feeling it for the first time is remarkable. Why don't you active your own magic, hm?"

Eyeing Katyusha's hand warily, Alfred felt for his energy and let it consume him. Immediately the nervous sense of impending destruction(and not necessarily of the demonic energy) vanished and was replaced with the sense that if this Demon tried anything, Alfred could stop her, or at least protect himself. "I feel better, like I'm not in as much danger."

"You have to watch out for that," Ivan said, unflinchingly staring into Alfred's indistinguishable eyes, "Not feeling the true danger you are in is dangerous in itself and only works against you. We have all seen a similar thing, or experienced it ourselves. You may feel safe right now but Katyusha is only using a small fraction of her power. In your current state there is no way you could defeat her." That thing that had attacked Alfred was a good example. Whether it knew he was a half-Demon or just thought he was a weaker regular Demon, it had still underestimated him, and now it was dead. It was never good to believe you are stronger or that your opponent is weak, especially when you've only just met them. Alfred was right to be afraid of Al.

As Alfred turned back to Katyusha to deal with the increase in power she let out, Ivan took this time to admire the markings he'd been eager to see(and maybe he ogled him for a bit). Demons did not get markings unless they were tattoos, and even then they didn't glow. The marks on Alfred's front were fewer than the ones on his back, from what Ivan could see. There was what appeared to be some sort of sun on the left side of Alfred's chest, above where his heart was. On either side of his belly button were three thin lines which wrapped around his sides and connected to another line which started in between his shoulder blades and stopped above the waist band of his jeans. Two thin lines circled his upper arms, and they were connected to the hollow circle on this hand by more lines twisting down his arms. On his back, where the line down his spine started, there was another sun right above it, with two simple wings stretched out across his upper back. It looked very impressive, and incredibly hot. He wondered if the markings would feel hot against his fingers, or if they would burn his skin. He'd have to ask Alfred when they were alone if he could feel them.

Increasing her magic to the point where she could call out her wings, she studied Alfred. He was holding up beautifully, and she could tell by his steady stance and pulsing energy that he was on guard despite there being no danger. In a second she diverted her magic from her hand to her back, thus causing two black feathered wings to come forth.

The wings were large and impressive, the feathers a silky black. Alfred awed at them openly, never having seen something _so_ supernatural. Yeah, werewolves were pretty out there but it wasn't like they were literally half-wolf half-human. But seeing a person with wings was something else. "That's amazing! But, why are they feathered? I thought Demons had, like, bat wings, or something like that," Alfred said. _"You're not the only one,"_ he heard Matthew say. Katyusha giggled. "Some do have "bat" wings, as you call them. Those wings typically belong to lower level Demons, while more powerful Demons have feathered wings. It is a sign of strength."

"A sign of strength? So, other Demons recognize that you're stronger than them?" Alfred clarified. All this talk of Demons and power was very confusing. "In a way, yes," Katyusha agreed. "Since Angels are a Demon's natural enemy, having their wings shows that we are equal to them in strength and that they cannot do away with us as they please. Only the most powerful Demons have these wings though."

"Whoa. So how'd you make them appear?" And did his look just like hers only lighter in color? "The easiest way is to focus magic on your back. With time you will be able to call for them without doing that, but for now you should have some success. Why don't you try it?" Katyusha suggested. Nodding, Alfred closed his eyes again and focused his magic around him, then directed it to his back. Nothing happened at first, and it was only when he thought of picturing them did something happen.

A bright flash blinded everyone except Katyusha and they had to either close their eyes or turn away. It only lasted a few seconds, then they could look back at Alfred. Alfred, who was swaying back and forth now that he had an added weight throwing off his balance. Amazed, Alfred turned in circles trying to get a good view of _his wings._ "This is..." he breathed, opting to grab one and pull it around in front of him to examine it better. The feathers were a cream color with gold highlights visible if light hit them just right. He could feel new muscles on his back yet had no grasp on how to use them. But he could feel his hand petting the feathers, which was a weird but strangely familiar sensation. It was like his hair was being patted, only not. He'd been unsure of them at first but they were extraordinary.

Katyusha came up to him, clapping and smiling at his success. "Wonderful! Great job," she exclaimed, reaching out to pat his shoulder. He flinched at the initial contact, expecting something to happen, but everything was fine. "There's no need to be afraid," he heard, and looking up he could tell she'd seen and interpreted his flinch, "Physical contact does nothing between us; it is strictly our energies which battle." He laughed and clasped her hand in his. "Thank you."

"Oh..." With moist eyes she jumped at him and engulfed him in a hug. "No, thank you, _my little Angel_," she whispered in his ear in Ukrainian, "_You have made me so happy and proud."_ An emotion he could not recognize welled up within him and he hugged her back tightly.

"_Wow Alfred,"_ Matthew said, walking up to him with Francis. They sniffed at his wings and walked in circles around he and Katyusha, his presence allowing them to be closer to her. Arthur and Ivan also came up to them. "Very impressive," Arthur said, examining the cream colored feathers like Alfred had. Ivan placed a hand on Alfred's shoulder and squeezed. "I agree, you did very well for your first time." Katyusha nodded along with his words. "Yes and now," she said, "you just have to learn how to fly."

* * *

Since he was young he'd been fascinated with the sky and stars. For hours, before the time of television and internet, he would sit on a grassy hill and cloud-watch or sit on a rooftop and star gaze. One wish he'd had was to touch the sky someday. When airplanes had been invented he'd been ecstatic; finally a way to fulfill a dream of his. Learning to pilot one of those flying machines had been the obvious next step, and though he'd gone to school numerous times for numerous subjects, he'd insisted on becoming a pilot. Arthur approved, though Alfred would have gone through with the schooling even against Arthur's wishes. He was at that age(which he'd been at for quite a while) where he was starting to disagree with Arthur and what he wanted.

Despite his willingness to learn the mechanics of flying, he was apprehensive the first time he'd flown. It had been with an instructor, of course, and though he was assured it was relatively safe(there was always room for error, whether mechanical or human), the realization that he was finally going to touch the sky struck hard. But he could honestly say there was nothing like it.

He still believed that, only now the situation had evolved. No longer was he confined to an aircraft.

The first thing they'd had him do was get used to hiding and showing his wings. Now that he knew a trick, getting rid of them was much easier than summoning them. All he had to do was focus and imagine himself without wings and they'd be gone. Learning how to even move his wings had been difficult as well. The muscles had never been used before, but it wasn't like they were weak. It was more like a child learning how to walk, as that was what the wings were like: a new set of limbs. With Katyusha's advice and demonstrations, he'd found the muscles and moved his wings in a variety of directions. Up, down, out and in, in front of him, and completely behind him, he'd learned it all. Unlike walking this was much easier done(plus he was older and had full control of his body).

Arthur was surprisingly knowledgeable about the physiology of wings, despite not having any himself, but then again Arthur was very smart and knew a lot about a lot of different things. He'd explained that the wings were basically arms, with many of the same bones. The muscle system was different however. When he tugged the wings down he could feel it in his pecs. When he raised them it was a new muscle he'd never felt before, sort of around his pecs, only deeper. But the simple fact that the wings were _real_ dispelled any thoughts about anatomy, at least in Alfred's mind; he didn't care how they worked, as long as they did.

After leaning the general controls they'd focused on the actual flying, which Alfred was way more excited about. Getting off the ground proved a tough challenge, but like all the challenges in Alfred's life, he overcame it. Admittedly the demonstrations from Katyusha help tremendously. Without her Alfred would be completely lost on how to flap correctly and in such a way that provided balance and stability in mid air. Eventually he figured it out and was able to fly, though at a relatively slow pace. Control during high speed was something he'd have to practice still.

On the ground watching the Angel and Demon practice was Arthur, Ivan, and the two wolves. It was agreed(well they couldn't understand Matthew and Francis in their current forms but they did nod) that Alfred was doing very well and that with a little more practice he would master flying, thought Arthur knew he would. As Ivan's curiosity had been piqued by Alfred's mention of being a pilot Arthur was resigned to retelling some tamer stories and Alfred's interest in the sky and flying. He knew Alfred would want to tell Ivan about his experiences himself so Arthur stuck to the less-interesting stories.

After that he'd decided Alfred had had enough practice and was ready to complete the task he had for him. It was getting late already, and while Arthur knew he could trust Alfred to protect himself(as well as Francis and Matthew to protect Alfred) he couldn't help the uneasiness in his gut about letting Alfred out at night.

"Alright!" He called out to Alfred and Katyusha, waving his arms in added hopes of gaining their attention. Not too long afterward they noticed him and landed. Alfred came up to them out of breath. "Oh my God!" he said, a wide smile on his face, "Flying is just...I can't...it's everything I know it to be and more! And without the plane it's just..." he trailed off, unable to properly express his emotions with words. Piloting a plane had been exhilarating but flying and feeling the wind through his hair and on his skin...easily the greatest thing he'd felt, and on an emotional level he was that much closer to the sky and that made something weigh down his chest in a good way.

"_We can tell you were really enjoying it," _Francis said. Alfred nodded frantically. "I do. I've never felt so...alive, you know?" They barked in agreement; the thrill of running fast on all fours was, to them, what flying was to Alfred. "What?" Alfred looked up at Arthur's question.

"Uh...oh, them," he said, pointing down at Francis and Matthew. "I was answering Francis."

"Ah. I don't think I will be getting used to that," Arthur muttered to himself. "Anyway, now that you've learned how to fly and have had your fun, follow Francis to the area of the forest were the herb I need grows. Walking would take some time but you should be able to get there in ten minutes. Francis knows what I need, he will explain when you get there." He handed Alfred a weaved basket, in which there were some clothes.

"Alright," Alfred said, then turned to Katyusha and surprised her with another hug. "Thanks again for helping me." She returned the hug and sniffled. "Oh Katyusha," Ivan sighed. Letting go of Alfred she wiped at her eyes. "I'm sorry, I can't help it! I thought I'd never see him again." Ivan shook his head as he walked up to Alfred and pulled him into a quick goodbye kiss. "I will see you when you get back."

"Okay," Alfred smiled at him then turned to the two wolves. "Lead the way." As they bolted into the thick foliage, Alfred called back over his shoulder, "See ya dad!" Then he was off, flying low to the treetops so he could see the wolves.

It was silent on the trip home until Ivan spoke up. "Arthur? Do you have any other stories about Alfred when he was growing up?" Arthur glanced at him and smirked.

* * *

It was hard to not wander away from the trail the wolves weaved through the forest. He could afford to look around every once in a while but he eventually had to return his attention to following the quick werewolves. After their little adventure he'd have to fly for leisure and then he could appreciate the sights and sounds.

Just as Arthur had said the trip only took about ten minutes. And even so Alfred knew he wasn't flying as fast as he could. The wolves could only run so fast, after all. They slowed down enough to where flying was more of hovering so he landed and hid his wings. As much as he loved them it just wasn't practical to have them around every second. If he didn't need them he shouldn't have them out.

They walked for maybe a minute before Francis stopped them. _"What Arthur is looking for is spread out around this area, starting right here. He has planted these flowers since we moved here and the wind has spread them out as well. We are looking for small pink flowers which hang down by their own weight. Are there jars in the basket?"_

Alfred looked into the basket, beneath the clothes, and pulled out a jar. There was nothing in it and the top was labeled 'comfrey.' "Yeah, the jars are labeled comfrey," Alfred said. Francis nodded. _"That is perhaps the most important herb Arthur needs. Be sure to fill the jar as much as possible. Now," _Francis said, coming closer to Alfred with Matthew at his side, _"If you do not wish to see us naked I suggest you turn around." _Alfred gladly took that invitation and pretended to observe the trees and plants in front of him.

"You can turn back around now," Matthew informed him. When he did face them he saw them wearing jeans and hoodies. Seeing them wearing the warm tops made him realize something. "Aw man, I'm not wearing a shirt!" True enough his shirt hadn't even been looked at during his training. Even so, he was strangely warm, considering it was almost nightfall, and winter. "...But I guess it doesn't really matter, now that I think about it. I'm not even cold anymore."

"Well be glad you don't have to wear such a ratty old unfashionable—" "Isn't that my hoodie?" Alfred interrupted. A beat went by.

"As I was saying," Francis said, "the herbs should be easy to spot and there should be plenty of them, so this shouldn't take long at all." Walking up to Alfred, he grabbed a jar out of the basket, ignoring the suspicious glare Alfred was giving him. "If you need anything," Matthew inputted, "just yell our names or something. Our hearing is very good so we can rescue you if you need it."

"Yeah right," Alfred smiled, "I'm stronger than you are. It's going to be you who needs help." He wasn't going to be helpless anymore. The night he was attacked had really opened his eyes to the dangers he was in. Alfred felt the training had paid off, he felt stronger and more confident in himself. He still had doubts about everything but with Lovino's words the previous day he knew he would have to accept the situation for what it was.

"Whatever you say bro," Matthew said, then took a jar of his own and started off in a direction. Francis shrugged at him and did the same. Examining his own jar briefly, he tossed it back into the basket and took off in another direction.

The plants were easy to find. He couldn't have been out here for more than fifteen minutes and already he was almost done. He could probably fit a dozen or so more flower heads in the jar before he would have to start forcing them in. It also helped that one plant had five or six flowers on it.

A snap to his right made him pause and turn in that direction, ears straining in the silence to hear anything more. When nothing else happened he hesitantly returned his attention to the plant. A rustling to his left made him jump and spin to face the nearby bushes, every nerve seemingly on fire. The stillness and quietness of the forest was starting to get to him, increasing his fear and paranoia that everything out there wanted him dead.

Once again nothing further happened so he continued his flower picking, this time only half paying attention to his actions. The sudden feeling of being watched came upon him and he straightened up, glancing in all directions. "Hello?" he called out. There was no verbal response, but something did answer him.

Out of the shadows in front of him, a large dog stepped into light. Upon closer inspection Alfred decided that it was actually not a dog at all; dogs were not that big, and he'd seen that coloring everyday for a long time.

"Matthew?" he said, confusion written across his face, "What are you doing here like that?" A low growl and then a vicious snarl was the only response he was given, then Matthew lunged at him. Yelping and dropping the jar and basket, Alfred, panic rising, dove out of the way, rolling until his back hit a tree, the rough bark damaging his bare skin. The plant he'd previously been picking from was engulfed in Matthew's open jaws, obviously meant for him, and ripped from the ground. Spitting them out quickly, Matthew again lunged at him.

The only thing that made sense was to gain the advantage of higher ground, so with little effort(panic and adrenaline) he called out his wings and made to leave when he was tackled from the side by something other than Matthew. _Francis_.

Pinned on his stomach, he was practically helpless. Feeling much weaker than what should be normal, his efforts at gaining the upper hand went unnoticed. Though apparently they didn't like his flailing, because as he stopped to take a breath Matthew savagely bit into his wing.

Excruciating pain, the worse thing he'd ever felt, enveloped him. Tears gathering in his eyes, he clawed at the ground but was unable to get out from under Francis's hold and only succeeded in making Francis dig his claws in deeper and drawing blood. Something hot was beginning to spread around his side but he was unwilling to look back and confirm what he knew it had to be. Why would Matthew and Francis do this to him? The betrayal hurt immensely, but the white-hot pain was clouding his mind and making his thoughts incoherent.

Thinking that Matthew was going to let him go, he relaxed a bit, instinctively, when the grip on his wing slackened, only to be taken by surprise as Matthew let go only to get a better grip and tear the wing right from his body.


	20. Chapter 20

Gasping awake, tears in his eyes and breathing erratic, Alfred jolted into a sitting position. From there he scrambled onto his feet and frantically looked around for anything but it was obvious there was no one there with him. The basket was sideways on the ground from where he must have dropped it, the jar of herbs safely in one piece.

Disoriented by the sudden change of environment, Alfred cautiously picked up the basket and jar. Was that a dream? A vision? What the hell happened? He was just about to call for Matthew and Francis when he stopped. What if...?

"No!" he said to himself. They would never hurt him like that.

Abandoning the search for more herbs, he started walking back to where he and the werewolves had parted ways, calling for them all the while.

After a few minutes of walking in an increasingly darkening forest, he heard a twig snap. Freezing mid step, Alfred stared into the bushes where he thought it had come from. Didn't this happen before—?

"Alfred?"

Crying out in fear at the sudden voice, Alfred spun around and saw Ivan. Forgetting his previous discomfort he knocked Ivan to the ground with the speed at which he launched himself at him. "Oh Ivan you have no idea how happy I am to see you. I had this crazy dream or something—" He cut himself off at the annoyed sigh Ivan let out. Looking up in confusion, Alfred saw that Ivan looked irritated. He was about to say something when the world flipped upside down and he found the breath knocked out of him. Ivan had roughly flipped him over onto his back and was now leaning over him, pinning him to the ground.

"Is everything about you?" Ivan hissed. "I've been in more troublesome situations in the two months I've met you than in twenty years of my life. Why do you have to be so annoying and get hurt all the time?"

Speechless at what he was hearing, Alfred just stared.

"Speechless? For once at least. I like you much better when you shut your fat mouth and just look pretty." The words stung and Alfred finally managed to choke out, "I-Ivan, how can you say that? After all the time we've spent together?" Snorting, Ivan leaned down to glare at him. "Isn't it obvious? I was lying. I thought you were going to be easy prey but you proved more difficult than you're worth. So now I'm going to do what I should have done when I met you."

He felt Ivan grip his hands with one of his and bring his now free hand back, fingers closed and nails sharp. Horrified that Ivan meant to _kill_ him, he started struggling. "W-Wait! Please! You don't want to do this!" He begged. Laughter and then searing pain in his chest and then—!

Startling awake, this time with his face to the ground, Alfred just breathed.

For maybe ten minutes he laid there, breathing and occasionally blinking. _Why is this happening?_ He thought to himself, over and over until the words lost meaning. Getting to his feet, he looked around. Nobody was there, but something had to be causing these...whatever they were.

He walked on though he was hesitant to do so. _What if the real Matthew or Francis find me but I don't believe it's them? How can they prove they're real? How can I?_ Nonetheless he continued to try and find his family, calling out their names and walking towards the place they separated. Instead of a twig snapping it was the rustling of a bush that stopped him. He was almost inclined to ignore the bush and search on, but before he could come to a decision on what to do, his father stumbled out of the foliage.

"Damn roots—Alfred! There you are! Come on, we have to go right now, something has happened that I didn't anticipate." Arthur made to grab his arm but he moved it out of the way. Backing up, Alfred shook his head. "No."

"No? What do you mean 'no'! I told you to do something and I don't have time to waste on your defiance, so get over yourself and do as you're told," Arthur said. Gritting his teeth, Alfred glared at his 'father.' There had been a time when Alfred had opposed nearly everything Arthur said to him. They hadn't gotten along well at all during that time, and on numerous occasions Alfred had left for a couple of days, just to cool down. But he always came back, and though it happened many times, the reassurance that Arthur was there and waiting for him, always willing to take him back in, was nice and showed him that Arthur cared about him no matter his faults and failures.

Arthur's words were exactly how he'd spoken to Alfred all those years ago when he'd tried controlling everything in his life on a fit of paranoia, though over what he wouldn't say. Alfred couldn't help but to return to that time, in a sense, and feel the same way.

"I said no," he stated, making sure there was no waiver in his voice, "Something's been happening to me and I can't be sure you're _you_. It's happened twice already and I don't want it to happen again."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "There you go, spinning tales and excuses for your own idiotic behavior. Why can't you take responsibility for once and act like an adult."

"I _am_ an adult! Why can't you be happy with the life I'm living instead of berate me at every turn?! I just want you to be proud of me and all you ever do is look down on my achievements!" He was getting too into it with someone who was most likely not even real but the words couldn't be stopped. He was being serious and truthful, and the knowledge that this was fake let him say the words he'd been too afraid of saying in the past.

"An adult? You barely remember to take your wallet with you when you go out, and you still have trouble tying a tie. How can you say you're an adult when you act like a child every damn day!"

"Maybe it makes me feel human!"

"Don't be ridiculous. You know you're not human; you're better than those weak, disease-filled meat sacks. You shouldn't lower yourself to their level my boy."

"You're not understanding! Maybe I don't want to be something other than human. I never asked to be an Angel, and I never asked to be saved. I should have died that day with my mother."

Walking angrily up to him, Arthur slapped him across the cheek. "You selfish brat. How dare you say that when I spent all my life caring for you and raising you, only for you to turn out a disappointment. If you want to live your life then go! No one will miss you."

Eyes wet with tears of frustration and his heart feeling like it was being stabbed, Alfred tackled Arthur to the ground and started shaking him. "Shut up! Shut up! You're not real! All of this is fake!" After a while he stopped shaking Arthur and let him go. His eyes were closed and the ground was turning dark beneath his head. Closing his eyes, Alfred waited for his dream/vision/whatever the fuck it was to be over.

When he opened his eyes it was to his father's corpse.

Unwilling to believe what that meant, he closed his eyes again, squeezing them shut in the hopes of opening them to the night sky or the grassy forest floor. No such luck the second time, so he tried again and again until his head was hurting with how hard he was closing his eyes.

"No..." he whispered, horrified at what he'd done, "_No! _Dad, dad! Wake up, please! I-I didn't mean it. I'm sorry! Oh God, please, just...please open your eyes, I-I'm so-orry." His father's skin was cold to the touch, and his chest neither rose nor fell. Alfred put his hand to Arthur's neck, to feel for a pulse, but when he felt none he retracted his hand like it'd been burned.

Scurrying away from the body of his _dead_ father on his hands and feet, Alfred collapsed with his back to a tree and cried into his hands. He distantly heard laughter before he blacked out.

The awakening this time was not sudden. He was on his back, and when he opened his eyes he saw the starry night above him.

* * *

Everywhere Matthew looked, even with his eyesight enhanced in his wolf form, provided no cover, no hiding place with which to escaped the hunters. A flash of flannel here would make him switch directions sharply; the glint of a rifle ahead of him would make him skid to a stop and bolt the other way.

No matter where he went there were hunters waiting for him, laughing and reloading there guns. Shaking his head to chase away the taunting laughter, Matthew failed to notice a rifle aiming for him and paid the price. A sharp pain in his side had him tumbling down a small ledge and into a tree.

Blinking his eyes to clear away the blurriness and struggling to get back up on all fours, the pain in his side was too great and he collapsed back down on his stomach. The hunters closed in and he prayed his death would be quick.

Right as the shot went off he startled awake. Whining, Matthew picked himself up off the ground and started running again. For awhile he'd been running, only to get caught in another illusion. Whoever was casting them was very skilled; the illusions were of a very good quality and no matter what he did—whether it be fight back, surrender, or run—they always ended the same; him dying.

He was making good time back to where he, Francis, and Alfred had separated, but he wasn't going as quickly as he'd like. Every now and then, between the illusions, he'd here Alfred calling for them, and once he'd even heard Francis howl.

He didn't know how many more of these illusions he could take. Already he'd had to kill his family, be killed by his friends, kill the students at the school he worked in, and be hunted. Those were his greatest fears, and if his guess was correct then whoever or whatever was doing this to them was trying to wear them down. But for what?

At least, he assumed Alfred and Francis were trapped as well. Francis's howl had been one of mourning and sadness, so he could safety assume Francis was trapped. But what of his brother? Alfred was calling for them but what if he was just done collecting the herbs? Either way he hoped Alfred wasn't trapped and he desperately hoped that whoever was doing this to them didn't know what Alfred was.

* * *

He was familiar with illusions, and despite how well put together these were, he could find a way around them. With Arthur being a mage, he'd showed Francis all about recognizing them and countering them. Certain herbs would ward away evil; even if the illusions themselves weren't evil, their intent was.

Still, he had to suffer a few while he sniffed out the right herbs to carry on his person—er, wolf. One of those had been a combination of two of his worst fears; losing control of himself, and killing Arthur. The illusion had been the second one, so he was still unsure if it was true or false, but after that he was sure he was being played with.

The pain of not only losing himself to the wolf but also killing the man he loved was enough to affect him after the illusion was over. As was customary of wolves, he let his sorrow be known through a mourning howl, one that scratched his throat and faltered at the end, conveying the sadness in his heart. Not wanting to encounter another like that he set out to find the herbs as quickly as possible. Once collected, the illusions could be seen. It was a section of forest that looked blurred, and with it exposed, Francis could easily walk around it.

His next task was to find Matthew and Alfred. He'd heard nothing from Matthew yet, but he did hear Alfred calling for them. Whether it was because he was done and ready to return home or because he'd encountered his own fears, Francis did not know. All he knew was that they had to get away from the forest, and quickly, before they ended up dead.

A call close to his position, from Alfred, had him running quicker, barely avoiding some illusions in his haste to reach his son. He spotted Alfred about to wander into another illusion and called out, "_Alfred, stop!"_ He barked too, just to be sure he got the Angel's attention.

Alfred's head snapped to his direction and he thankfully stopped right before the trap. Slowing to a crawl, Francis approached the wary man.

"Francis? Is that you? I-I...how do I know you're you?" Ah, so he had experienced the traps. _"Calm down Alfred, I can hear your heart racing from here."_ He sat on his hindquarters and waited for Alfred to do something.

"Can you prove you're really Francis?" Alfred asked uncertainly. It seemed he wanted to get away as fast as possible. He was also rubbing at his shoulder blade, which Francis found strange. _"I can, but you must trust me. I know you are brave Alfred; if you let me I can help you see the truth."_

"A-Alright. How?"

He lifted his paw to his mouth and gently tugged off the pouch he'd made from the sweater he'd been wearing before he'd transformed. In it held the herbs which made the tricks visible. _"There are herbs in here that will help you see the boundaries of each illusion, so that you may avoid them."_ He dropped the pouch on the ground and backpedaled until he thought he was far enough away to not scare Alfred further.

Cautiously, Alfred approached the pouch. _"Take a handful and put it in your pocket. Then turn around."_ Francis instructed. With one last glance at Francis, Alfred hastily opened the pouch and grabbed the herbs. Straightening up to stare once again at Francis, Alfred put the herbs in his pocket and turned around.

"What am I supposed to be seeing?" he said. Everything looked normal except for one section of the forest in front of him. Maybe his glasses were dirty. _"Do you not see the blurred section? That is a waiting illusion."_ At the doubtful look on Alfred's face, Francis sighed and laid on the ground. _"If you do not believe me then walk into the blurriness; we will look for Matthew when you awaken."_

Stubborn as always(and how Francis knew him to be)Alfred accepted and walked into the illusion...and promptly collapsed. Shaking his head, Francis took the moment to catch his breath and keep an ear out for Matthew.

It was a relatively short trap, as Alfred sprung awake not five minutes later. Wide-eyed, he took in his surroundings and noticed Francis, who remained in his position save for lifting his head. _"Do you see? And now the blur is gone."_ As Francis pointed this out Alfred looked around and confirmed; the blur had indeed been the cause of his illusion.

"Alright," Alfred said, standing up and walking towards Francis, "I believe you." He would have smiled if he could, but as a large dog he could do no such thing, so instead he nodded. _"Good. Now let's find Matthew."_

* * *

Just when he thought it was only the illusions he had to worry about, the feeling of being watched continued outside the illusions. Everywhere he went, no matter the direction, the feeling of eyes upon him did not falter. And it was seriously starting to freak him the fuck out. How could he tell dream from reality when every second felt like a dream?

After twenty solid minutes of cautious walking, he realized that he had not been drawn into a trap in a while. He didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing, and that unnerved him. Then the traitorous thought that _Maybe I'm in an illusion already_ came to his mind and freaked him out all the more. His ears heard every little sound; his eyes saw every swaying shadow.

A few more minutes and he picked up the sound of running water, like a stream of some kind. Running had made him thirsty, but his instinct to survive had been more important than his hunger and thirst. But now that he knew not if he was sleeping or awake, he supposed getting a drink couldn't hurt.

Oh how wrong he would be.

It was not a stream he'd heard but a small waterfall, which lead into a serene looking pool, made ominous by the lone figure standing in the middle of it _on top of the water._ Fog he had not noticed was surrounding it and himself, cutting off his line of sight anywhere past the tree line of the small clearing the pool was in. Already on high alert, Matthew thought he might pass out if something startled him. Not knowing if he should talk to it(or if it could even understand him)he chanced it and called out to it. _"Hello?"_ he asked, not caring if his voice trembled. The figure turned its head, looking at him with one eye visible. _"Hello Matthew." _She spoke. The voice was distinctly female and sounded much to high to belong to a women of that height. It sounded like a young girl.

The words rang loudly through his head, causing him to drop to the ground and cover his ear with his paws, whining all the while. The words coated his mind in a thick fog, making it difficult for him to think straight. _"H-How d-do you...kn-know my...name,"_ he managed to stutter out. The fog was not only making it hard for him to think but harder for him to form coherent sentences as well. He feared he might be paralyzed should he not be saved.

"_Matthew, I know much about you; your greatest fears, your family, your creation at the hands of a rogue wolf, everything about you that makes you _you_."_ Matthew struggled to lift his head, but when he did he saw the women was walking towards him.

The first thing he noticed was that she had no face.

She wore black and red ropes(the red he hoped wasn't blood), which were torn in many places. Her skin was a very pale white and looked unmarred, despite the state of her clothing. Long black hair framed her blank face. She also had thorned vines winding about her: on her wrists, her ankles, her neck, and her chest. The vines were an unhealthy black.

"_St...ay a-away fro-om...me,"_ Matthew slurred. She laughed. _"No, Matthew. I think we are going to spend some time together."_

* * *

"_We are close,"_ Francis said, sniffing the ground then the air. There was an evil aura close by as well. He knew that, no matter how much he wished otherwise, Matthew was with or near that aura. He and Alfred had been walking for about twenty minutes, following a trail of scent Francis had picked up. According to him Matthew had been there recently, so they must have been close.

Glancing around and shivering, Alfred rubbed at his arms. "Something is...not right, around here. There's an evil I can't explain nearby...It's feels like there are two auras mixed, like one has taken over the other," Alfred said, bumping into Francis. Francis was in front of Alfred, nodding along to his words until the part about the two auras together. He'd stopped suddenly, thus causing Alfred to bump into him.

"_Two auras mixed? That is...very difficult to achieve, to say the least. You might be right about one taking the other over, which means we are dealing with a possessed witch."_ Alfred looked down at him. "What makes you say it's a witch? They aren't the only ones who can cast illusion spells, right? Mages can do that too."

Walking again, much faster this time, Francis agreed, _"You are right about that, but witches are infinitely better at them. Some even dedicate their studies to it. The fact that we couldn't tell when the illusion started tells me that this is a powerful witch."_

"Do you think it has Mattie?"

"_I do not know, only pray it does not."_

This time it was Alfred who stopped, reaching out to grasp Francis's fur. "Francis," he whispered, "I think I can fell them."

"_And?"_

Motioning for Francis to follow him, Alfred turned right, away from the trail they were following, to a thick cluster of trees. Francis noticed how foggy it had become but Alfred seemed undisturbed, which was strange for one so frightened by horror movies, as Alfred was.

They pushed as silently as possible through the trees to the other side, where they remained hidden to observe the creature looming over—Matthew! "What do we do?" Alfred whispered. Francis did not respond. Alfred didn't notice for a few seconds, then whispered, "Francis?" and looked over to see him starting at Matthew and the strange creature. "Francis?" Alfred said slowly, glancing between him and the witch, "Are you okay?"

As if he was paralyzed, he could only see Matthew on the ground with the witch over him. Alfred, his surroundings, everything else was blocked out. Matthew, his little boy, was in trouble, and if he didn't do something, that witch would do the second best thing witches did: suck out his soul. He would not let Matthew die, not here and not now.

Growling, caution thrown to the wind to give way to parental protectiveness, Francis sprung from the trees and attacked the witch.

Startled by Francis's attack, Alfred shouted "No! Wait!" but it went unheard. The witch was also taken by surprise, seeming to float along the water as she(Alfred could clearly see the long hair and feminine figure)drew back, away from her prey and Francis. Slapping a hand to his forehead, Alfred cursed the situation, but also stepped out of the cover of the trees and joined the wolves.

Standing in front of Matthew and next to Francis, Alfred finally got a good look at her. Only what he saw confused him. He could see the face(or lack of one) and he could see the long hair and vines. But there was an underlying image, one of a young girl with short blonde hair, one purple ribbon on the side, sleeping. Was she the witch, and the faceless puppet controlling her? She looked to calm and peaceful to be a threat.

"Who are you?" Alfred demanded, "What do you want with us?"

The woman did not respond, only stare in their direction(he thought so at least; she had no eyes, after all). Finally her head titled slightly to the side, as if in confusion. "What are you?" She said, her voice not matching the outward appearance she bore. It fit the young girl much better.

"What do you mean?" Alfred asked warily. He knew it would be stupid to advertise his status as Angel; as he'd learned, that would only attract creatures to kill him.

She ignored his question. "I thought I would get a werewolf; instead I get two and a surprise. Am I not lucky?" Then the blank surface of her face tore apart to reveal a twisted smile and sharp, fang-like teeth. Francis was the first to move. He stepped up to the waters ledge, placing his paw on the reflective surface. It did not go under. Instantly he bolted at the possessed witch, jumping and clawing at her. While she certainly looked threatening, and spoke as if superior, it was obvious she was struggling to deflect the claws and teeth aimed towards her.

Hearing a whine, Alfred turned around and saw Matthew sitting up. He was blinking his eyes and shaking his head. "Matthew? Are you hurt?" Matthew looked at him for a moment, then out to the battle, then back at him, blinking slowly. "Matt? You there?" Matthew shivered, then stood up properly.

"_...Alfred? What happened? How and when did you get here?"_

"Francis figured out it was a witch trapping us in illusions, and one possessed at that. We got here just as she was about to do something to you. Francis jumped out of our hiding spot for no reason and attacked her, but she retreated to the water." Glancing back at the fight, Alfred again was drawn to the underlying image of the young girl. Her aura was dimmed, but a nice pink color. The thing possessing her radiated a black aura of evil. Maybe he could purify...

Matthew jumped when the spread of wings nearly knocked him over. Startled, he looked over to see Alfred's markings glowing brightly in the dim lighting of the moon. His wings were out as well. _"Alfred...?"_

"Matthew," Alfred said, not looking away from the witch, "Go help Francis; distract the witch if you can." His words held a finality in them that commanded Matthew not question him, so he didn't. Stretching quickly, he ran to join the fight and tell Francis to distract her instead; he guessed they were to distract her from Alfred.

He got to the witch, jumping on her back and clawing down it, adding tears to her robes, though no blood. She did not scream either; she made no sound at all. It was like she was a machine, one that didn't feel and only worked until told otherwise. He jumped off her when the vines dug into his paws, piercing the soft pads there, drawing blood.

He landed by Francis, who nudged him and licked around his face. It was a comfort they didn't often share in(they were wolves but people most of the time). The witch had to turn her back on Alfred to face them, and that's when he attacked.

Giving one mighty flap, Alfred landed behind her and stabbed her through the chest with a blade of pure energy, right through the heart of both the woman and the girl, the only part of them connected. He spoke words of a language he did not know or understand. The image of the faceless puppet rippled, then melted away to reveal the young girl underneath. He caught her before she could fall, holding her in his arms bridal-style. Pale green eyes blinked open. "_You're an Angel,_" she whispered in awe in German, then passed out.


	21. Chapter 21

**Hmm, is this fic starting to lack in the Rusame department? I mean I know it's not the point of the fic, just the main pairing, but still. Let me just remedy that then. And we finally make it to the Medium!(Well not really but...you'll see). Let the plot thickening begin!**

* * *

They'd been gone for far too long. Such a simple task of collecting herbs shouldn't have taken so long. As it was it'd been hours since the two wolves and the Angel had left their group. Arthur knew that Alfred could protect himself; he'd trained the boy for the past two months or so, he knew the progress Alfred was making. He also knew that Francis would protect both boys with everything he had.

Still, as a father he couldn't help but worry.

After the three had left their sight, Ivan had inquired about tales of Alfred's childhood. With a devious smile on his face, Arthur had spilled a lot of embarrassing information about Alfred to Ivan and Katyusha, which in hindsight didn't seem like a good idea, since Ivan and Alfred were together. But he hadn't thought about that, only about embarrassing his son as any good father would.

He told Ivan and Katyusha about Alfred's childhood, his fear of lightening storms and the dark, and though he got over those two he was currently afraid of ghosts, which Arthur found ridiculous considering their circumstances as beings of the supernatural variety. He told of all the times Alfred had had a poor lapse in judgment and the resulting situations he'd found himself in. He'd told of Alfred's dorky teenage years and the years after when they hadn't gotten along the best. All those years actually had a climax, in the very appropriate form of the American Revolution.

Being a dumb and ungrateful teenager at the time(not a biased statement from a scorned father at all), Alfred had gone against Arthur in more ways than one. Arthur had been born in England after it's unification in the tenth century. Since then, despite moving constantly about Europe and speaking a plethora of languages and dialects, he'd always identified as English, and later British.

Since Alfred had been found in what is now present day Ukraine, and given to a wandering Arthur by Katyusha, he'd never truly identified with a nation. Occasionally he'd just say he was English, since Arthur had taught him English first, then other languages.

But when the North and South American continents had been discovered, and Arthur caught wind of very rare herbs there, he'd decided that they should visit and collect as many as possible. But they had to wait until the colonization of the land took place. The British colonization of the Americas and the successful settlement of Jamestown provided them the perfect opportunity to catch a boat and make the months long trip to the new colony.

They might have come for the herbs but they stayed for the beauty. Arthur would always love his home country, but it didn't hurt to have a second favorite. As for Alfred, the hard working citizens, the familial feel of the settlement, and the beauty of the untouched land had really captured his heart.

However, once the thirteen colonies had had enough of the British Empire's taxes and acts, war broke out. On one side the newly formed United States of America and the other the vast British Empire. And like the rift between colonizer and colony, Arthur and Alfred too broke apart. Arthur remained loyal to the crown while Alfred fought for America's freedom. They had chosen their sides and were forced to go through with their given commands.

But one day, near the end of the war, they'd met on a battlefield, disbelief coursing through their veins. Deep down they didn't want to fight each other, but on the surface emotions ran wild and unchecked. Arthur was angry about Alfred's increasingly wild ways, and just wanted his son to understand him and do as told. So he'd ran at Alfred and disarmed him, but had been unable to go through with shooting him. Alfred had looked as if he'd wanted to comfort him, but he also wanted Arthur to understand that he was his own man now, and that Arthur would have to step off and let him live his life.

They'd parted ways and hadn't met again until well after the war had ended and the British Empire had lost its colony. Tensions had gone down greatly, and despite wanting his own life, Alfred didn't want a life without his father. Ever since then Arthur had abided by Alfred's wishes but also played an active roll in his life.

Katyusha and Ivan had been very surprised to learn about this, and Ivan even expressed his wonder about how Alfred felt at that time. Arthur had never cared to ask, as the memories were painful enough with just his side of them.

His tale ended just when they were approaching the house, and when they entered Lovino and Bella were waiting for them. Katyusha and Bella hadn't met yet, and Bella was initially wary of the Demon, but upon Lovino's confirmation that she was trustworthy, she backed down. Bella was Lovino's protector, and took her job seriously. A lot of things in their world wanted seers, for a variety of reasons. They had to be protected and Bella was tasked with Lovino. She'd protect him with her life, just as her parents had protected their charges with their lives.

Some hours passed, Arthur disclosing more information Alfred probably wouldn't want him too, until it was the time Arthur expected them back...only they didn't show. They also didn't show an hour later, and by that time Arthur, Ivan, and Katyusha had started to worry. But their fears were assuaged by Lovino and his promise that all three of them would come back unharmed and with a surprise.

Though the stories had been entertaining and distracting, they weren't enough to make them less concerned about the passage of time and the fact that three people from their group were missing. Surely Alfred and the wolves would have returned by now? And if they'd run into trouble Lovino would have told them, right?

Still, Ivan worried about them. But more so than the other two Ivan worried about Alfred. It wasn't that he thought Alfred couldn't protect himself or others, or that the blond was too weak to be out at night. It was more of the kind of concern one person had for their lover's safety, from all things supernatural and just natural.

Something that baffled him and had been on his mind lately was that sense of worry. For so long he'd been alone with no obligation to anyone but himself(and at times his sisters but he rarely saw them). He cared about himself and his own safety and that was it. But despite wanting to run his fingers through Alfred's golden hair and simultaneously wanting to snap his fragile neck, his concern for his own well being had expanded to include Alfred. And that was a weird feeling he was not used to in the slightest.

It was one thing wanting himself to be safe and happy, but it was an entirely different thing to want the safety and happiness of not only another person but one close to him as well. He and Alfred were close too, had gotten very close in the relatively short amount of time they'd known each other.

So when Alfred was gone far longer than he was supposed to be, naturally Ivan worried, a feeling that only increased every minute Alfred didn't walk through the front door with that wide happy grin on his face.

Katyusha, having accepted a cup of tea upon the arrival home, got up and went to the kitchen. They could hear the water from the sink running before it shut off rather abruptly and she came rushing into the living room.

"They're back," she said happily, walking to the front door. Lovino muttered an "I told you not to worry" but neither Arthur nor Ivan paid him any mind; they were already rushing out the door.

* * *

Alfred rubbed his temples as he, Francis, and Matthew walked back to their house. It was late, and cold, and being wolves currently Matthew and Francis didn't feel it but Alfred was freezing through his sweater. He also had a headache, which appeared right after saving the young witch sleeping on Francis's back.

After saving her, Alfred had returned to normal, but almost immediately a headache had slammed into him out of nowhere. Francis suspected it was a form of magical backlash. Having used his powers so suddenly and for only a short amount of time had caused the residual energy to turn back at him, but since it was his own natural energy it resulted in a headache(luckily; it could be so much worse). According to Francis, better control over his powers would diminish the chances of a strong physical backlash. If he managed to gain control, his experience after using just a short burst of energy might only result in a weird tingling sensation, instead of a full-blown head pound. He'd have to consult with Arthur for further and probably more accurate information.

Needless to say, having a headache and freezing his ass off didn't make for a happy Alfred. But his irritation was overpowered by his curiosity. Who was the young girl he had saved, and how did she know he was an Angel?

She had spoken German, which Alfred could understand. He could actually understand and speak fluently a multiplicity of languages, German included. Since he'd been alive for so long it was only natural he'd pick up multiple languages, especially since he and Arthur had been in Europe half their lives.

He didn't recognize her at all. He wondered what such a young girl was doing all the way from Germany, if she even lived there. Her clothing was very strange, so much so that Alfred could say she didn't live in this realm. From her corset like top over a plain long sleeve shirt and plain pants with laced up boots, he would say she was from the Medium. But that in and of itself raised questions. If she was from the Medium why did she speak German, and why was she here, in the Human Realm? What was her story?

"What do you think she's doing here?" Alfred thought aloud, drawing the attention of his two companions.

"_I think a better question would be what was she doing here possessed?"_ Matthew asked. He glanced over at the prone body and shuddered involuntarily. She may not have been the faceless puppet but it was her voice and power which had invaded his mind. He still got the chills looking at her and thinking about the fog-inducing voice.

"_Strange as it may seem I think I recognize her,"_ Francis said. _"It's her hair style...but I can't be sure. Arthur should know, but if not him then Lovino definitely will."_

"Yeah, he knows everything. Do you think he saw us?"

"_Do you mean our predicament with the young witch here? I suppose so but he does not only watch us. As a seer he can see the past, present, and future of everyone. It takes a lot of concentration to focus on a few specific people. It is a good thing he's had so much practice. As for if he saw us and told the rest of our little group I can only guess. Since no one came to help us I can guess that he wanted to see us handle it,"_ Francis informed them. Francis knew that Lovino was the type of person to intervene in the lives of others as little as possible. If he truly thought they couldn't handle the situation he would have told the others and they would have come to their aid.

"_Well I guess it's good practice, you know, handling a situation like this by ourselves. I'm sure we're not always going to be together,"_ Matthew said. Alfred chuckled and nudged Matthew. "Maybe you should practice a little more then, huh? You were looking a little scared there," Alfred teased.

Matthew growled. _"I was just caught off guard, okay? I didn't know what she was. Besides, wolves are great at blocking mind-based magic. I was just startled."_

"Yeah, uh huh, I'm sure."

"_Boys, please. You're not children. And it's true that wolves are excellent blockers but that doesn't mean you should slack off on your abilities. There will be times in our future when you're going to be up against something you've never faced before, you especially Alfred. You both should always be watchful and alert. I don't know what Arthur and I would do if we lost one of you."_ He stopped walking and turned to nuzzle Matthew, then used his snout to nudge Alfred's arm up, so his hand rested on his head. Alfred smiled and scratched at him.

"Wow Francis, that was pretty good advice. Maybe you should work on making Arthur give advice like that. He's so awkward sometimes."

Francis barked out a laugh and continued walking. _"Yes, I know that very well."_

They continued in silence for a bit, each lost in their thoughts. The walk back was shorter than the trip their. The conflict with the girl had drawn them closer to town, and as they now had to carry the girl back Francis couldn't run fast. Alfred also couldn't fly, or rather didn't feel like it. His aching head made him want to do nothing but take a hot shower, or maybe a bath. Oh that sounded divine. Maybe he could get Ivan into giving him a message.

A gentle groan and movement from the young girl had them stopping. In the distance they could see the lights from the town through the trees but for now they would help the young lady.

"What...what happened? Where am I?" She said, her voice feathery light without the distortion from the possession. She looked up at them but didn't seem to be all that terrified. When she really looked at Alfred her eyes widened. "Oh! It's you, you're the one who saved me," she said, seeming to have recovered remarkably well as she slid off of Francis's back and hugged Alfred. "Thank you."

"Uh, you're welcome," Alfred said, hesitantly hugging her back.

"_Alfred, I'm afraid we can not communicate with her so you will have to ask her questions," _Francis said. "Oh, yeah sure," Alfred answered, then explained when he saw the look on the girl's face. "Oh, these aren't ordinary wolves."

"Ah, so they are werewolves," she nodded her head and went to stand between them, reaching up to pet both of them. They started wagging their tails. "You guys are such animals sometimes," Alfred said.

"_Just ask her what her name is,"_ Matthew said.

"Do you mind telling us your name? And what you were doing out here?" Alfred asked.

"Oh of course not. My name is Lili Zwingli," she said,

"Well Lili, my name's Alfred Jones and this is—" He was cut off by Francis barking. _"Yes, now I remember! She's Vash's sister, little Lili."_

"Vash?" Alfred said.

"You know my brother?" Lili said, then her eyes widened. "Is he here too? Is he okay? What about—"

"Whoa, slow down," Alfred said, leaning down so he wouldn't be looking down at her. "Why don't we find somewhere nice and warm to discuss this, okay? How's that sound? Then we can help you."

She nodded and he stood up and began walking to their house. She grabbed at his hand and walked close to him, probably needing the comfort. She was also shivering slightly. Feeling bad, he took off his sweater(even though he would soon be colder himself)and handed it to her. She blinked and smiled at him, genuinely, before taking the sweater and slipping it over her head.

It only took them a few minutes to get into town, then a few more to walk to the house. Alfred used all his self control to not shiver in the freezing night air, as Lili didn't need to see that, by giving up his sweater, he was fairly uncomfortable.

Katyusha was at the window in the kitchen, in front of the sink. She looked up(she could probably hear their footsteps)and smiled at their approach(as well as see in the dark). She turned away and hurried back into the house, only to come out the front door seconds later.

"Oh we were so worried about you all!" She said, her voice trembling as she continued. "We thought something had happened to you and Lovino wouldn't tell us anything!" She came right up to Alfred and squeezed him in a tight hug, nearly crushing him. "K-Kat—you're crushing me!" Alfred managed to wheeze out. She pulled away from him and patted his shoulders while he caught his breath. She was just about to ask more questions when she noticed Lili giggling slightly behind him.

"Oh? And who are you?" Katyusha asked kindly. Lili peered up at her, able to sense she was a Demon but unafraid of her as she normally would be of Demons. If she hugged Alfred and he didn't react negatively, she must be a friend. And she didn't know why but Alfred just radiated positive energy. If something good like him hung around a Demon she would think they were trustworthy.

"I—my name's Lili," she responded shyly. The nice Demon smiled at her. "It's so nice to meet such a young witch as yourself. My name's Katyusha," she said, holding out her hand. Lili shook it.

Next out he door was Ivan and Arthur, Ivan crushing Alfred in a hug much like Katyusha had. "I-Ivan—can't breathe!" Alfred managed to wheeze out again. Ivan pulled away from him for a few seconds only to hug him again, gentler this time. "I'm sorry, but, I just...I was worried about you," he said into Alfred's hair. Alfred sighed and returned the hug. "I know and I'm sorry about that."

"Well? Is that all you have to say?" Ivan and Alfred broke apart and everyone turned to Arthur, who was standing with his arms crossed. He gave them an expectant look.

"Hey, dad," Alfred said, rubbing the back of his neck, "We're, uh, back! I'm guessing Lovino didn't tell you guys anything?"

"Indeed he did not," Arthur responded. "Did you at least get the herbs?"

"Oh yeah!" Alfred said, then turned to Lili. "Hey Lili, do you mind getting the herbs? They're in your pocket."

She reached into the front pocket and brought out Alfred's jar of herbs, which he'd somehow managed to keep with him during their little adventure. He took it and tossed it to Arthur, who looked unimpressed with the amount. "Is that it then? What were you all doing out there, picking daisies? Bloody fools, can't even pick out a decent number of herbs," he muttered, turning around and heading back into the house. Alfred had the strange feeling of being guilty even when he had nothing to feel guilty for. He supposed that was just Arthur's power; he could make a dog feel guilty for barking.

"Maybe we should all go to bed?" Katyusha suggested. "Come on Lili, you can sleep in the guest bedroom with me. There's an extra bed there."

"Okay," she said timidly. She followed Katyusha into the house, from which Lovino and Bella came out of.

"Leaving?" Alfred asked. Bella nodded her head, looking sadly at Lovino. He seemed sad about something, and also very far off. "He has to say goodbye to Feliciano tonight."

"Oh...why?" Alfred asked. Bella shrugged, then followed after Lovino when he started walking home. "See you guys tomorrow, er, later today!"

They stood watching the two leave until Alfred shivered uncontrollably. "Okay, it is seriously freezing out here." Ivan chuckled and put an arm around Alfred's shoulders, leading him back inside. "Well, I think I know a way of warming you back up." Alfred smiled, the possible sexual aspect of that statement going right over his head until he spun around, cheeks darkening, and nearly shrieked, "Francis!"

The two wolves barked(at least for Ivan; Alfred heard their laughter loud and clear)and walked into the house, a confused but no less amused Ivan and a red faced Alfred following behind.

Alfred walked through the door to his room, relief filling him at the sight of his unmade bed(what was the point of making it if he was just going to unmake it again every night?). He was just about to collapse on to it when his wrist was grabbed and he was spun around, cool lips pressing forcefully to his. He made a sound between surprise and approval, closing his eyes and wrapping his arms around Ivan's shoulders. What he missed by closing his eyes was noticing Ivan's remaining open, though narrowed.

The forcefulness of the kiss, not minded by Alfred at all, didn't move past the hard press of lips and sweeps of tongues. But what it did do was extend for a while, longer than Alfred could comfortably hold his breath for. And this was why Ivan kept his eyes open.

Once Alfred registered his depleting oxygen he made a whining sound, eyebrows drawing together as his face flushed. He grabbed a fistful of Ivan's shirt, tugging at it weakly. But despite it all he moaned. Deciding to have a semblance of mercy Ivan pulled his mouth off Alfred's, allowing him to draw in a breath of air. Gasping, Alfred opened his eyes to see Ivan's serious face.

"What...what was that for?" Alfred said breathlessly. He could feel warmth along his cheeks and down his neck. Instead of immediately responding, Ivan pushed Alfred back until his legs hit the edge of the bed and he tipped over, bouncing slightly as he landed on his back. Ivan didn't follow right after, choosing then to ask, "Do you know how worried I was?" He stepped forward a bit until he was standing with one leg in between Alfred's and one outside his. He loomed over his boyfriend while he waited for an answer.

For one second, just one, Alfred saw the Ivan from the illusion, when the man had tried to kill him and laughed doing it. And with that in his mind he asked, "You were?"

It made Ivan pause, the uncertainty in Alfred's tone surprising. He finally bent over Alfred, using his hands on either side of Alfred's head to look down at him. "What do you mean by that?" Ivan asked, a little hurt. Alfred couldn't think he didn't care about him, could he? "Why wouldn't I be worried about someone I care about?" Alfred blinked and seemed to realize what he'd said.

"No I...I didn't mean anything by that—it's just, you looked like...maybe I should explain what happened?"

"I think that would be best," Ivan agreed, sitting down on the bed next to Alfred, who sat up. He told Ivan what had happened, about his first three visions and Francis finding him and the possessed witch he revealed was Lili. Ivan almost interrupted at Alfred's description of the illusion with him but he stopped himself and remained quiet until Alfred finished. Once he was Ivan pulled him into a hug.

"Oh Alfred, of course I care about you. And I don't want you dead nor do I want to be the one to kill you if you do die. I know I already told you something about why Angels and Demons are enemies but I feel there is something else you must know. I do not know what it would be like as a full-blooded Demon, but as a half-demon I can tell you that how I feel about you is confusing. As a human I very much enjoy your company. I want you by me all the time so I can see this gorgeous face so full of warmth and happiness. I don't want there to be any trust issues between us Alfred, so I am going to tell you that the Demon side of me, plain and simple, wants you dead."

"D-dead? Like, _dead_ dead?" Alfred asked, tone...well not exactly chipper. He'd just been told a side of his boyfriend wanted him dead, _by _his boyfriend. He had the right to be a little freaked out. Ivan nodded.

"Yes. But what I want you to understand is that those feelings are not voluntary. They are not something I can control. Being part Demon makes me want you, who is an Angel, dead, no matter how close we are. But the closer we get the more I can overcome those thoughts. And you should be happy to know that no matter how often I think it I would never act on it, simply because it is written in my DNA. As a half-Demon I know almost subconsciously that I would never be able to take on a full-blooded Angel of Heaven."

Alfred let out a breath he'd been unknowingly holding. "That's reassuring," he said. He rested his hand on Ivan's knee and drew in a lungful of air, dispelling it slowly out his nose. "Thanks for telling me," he said.

"It is no problem," Ivan said, lifting Alfred's hand off his knee and bringing it to his lips. "Now, are you still cold? Because I wasn't kidding about making you warm." To accent his statement he started kissing up Alfred's arm, not waiting for his response.

Alfred shuddered from the light touches along his arm, flushing again as he recalled Francis's remark. "N-Now? But, everyone is asleep." He didn't stop Ivan though.

"True," Ivan murmured against the tan arm, pulling Alfred's shirt down off his shoulder to kiss the bare skin there. "I suppose you will just have to be quiet then. If you can that is."

"I can, ah!, too be quiet," Alfred said, his statement ruined by the moan he let out. It was Ivan's fault though, as he'd moved further up to where his shoulder and neck met. He had to slap his hand over his mouth to stop more moans as Ivan thoroughly acquainted his mouth and tongue and Alfred's neck.

Pulling away to whisper, "Let's see it then," against the marked up skin, he turned Alfred's head to kiss him, pushing his tongue passed Alfred's lips without waiting for entrance. Alfred didn't mind though, humming and returning the kiss as best he could. He didn't mind forcefulness and strength at all; if anything it was a turn-on. He may have been bi and liked the softness and squishiness of girls but he definitely liked hard muscles on his guys. It was more because he topped most with girls(though not all the time) and bottomed most with guys(again, not all the time).

Once again moving half-way between Alfred's legs, Ivan pushed him down again but followed this time. He tugged Alfred's shirt up and off, moving from his lips to focus down his neck and to his chest. He could here Alfred's(unfortunately)stifled moans, some louder than others depending on which spot he focused on. He avoided light touches to the blond's sides since he was so ticklish there but did slide his hands roughly down Alfred's front, using light pressure from his nails to create little red lines. Alfred shivered and made a sound between a breathless laugh and a groan.

Keeping one hand on his mouth Alfred moved the other to Ivan's hair as the man traveled lower down his front, lightly brushing his lips along Alfred's lower stomach. He twisted his fingers carefully through the silvery locks so as to not hurt Ivan, forgetting his increased pain tolerance.

Taking the light hair pulling as a sign of encouragement Ivan grabbed at Alfred's jeans and pulled them down but not off. Looking back up at Alfred's flushed face he asked, "Lube?" Alfred shook his head and removed his hand to mouth 'bathroom.' Ivan nodded and got up to find it, ignoring Alfred's whine of disapproval.

When he returned it was to Alfred's lying in the exact same position but his eyes were closed. "Tired?" Alfred opened his eyes and shook his head. "No, just, comfortably warm," he said. Ivan smirked and tossed the bottle of lube to the side for now as he got down on his knees(as Alfred's legs were hanging off the bed)and lifted his still clothed legs over his head to settle between the parted thighs.

He brought his hand up to trace a finger lightly down the length in front of him. "How many times have you been in this position I wonder," Ivan said, keeping his touch feathery light. Alfred whined and bucked his hips slightly.

"Do you mean, ah...do you mean giving or receiving blow jobs?" Alfred asked for clarification. Already it was getting difficult to talk without moaning or crying out loudly. He hoped his not-so-subtle thrusting would clue Ivan in that he needed to get on with it.

Giving in for now he got a solid grip on Alfred's cock and started to pump slowly up and down, occasionally flicking his thumb across the head once at the top. "Both."

Pressing his hand tighter over his mouth and gripping the sheets, he struggled to respond without waking the house with his moans and groans of pleasure. In a relatively quiet whisper he said, "Well I don't norma—hah, lly get blow jobs. It's the other way around most times."

Ivan hummed, that information very pleasing to him. As a reward he sped up his movements, reaching over to grab the lube. Popping it open he poured some directly on Alfred's length, loving the hitch in his breathing most likely from the coldness of the lube. "'s cold," he mumbled around his hand.

"Bare with it for a little longer," Ivan mumbled back, directing more focus to his task. Speeding up suddenly, he continued pumping with a light grip, spreading the lube about Alfred's cock and causing it to slide down towards his entrance, which worked in Ivan's favor but that was for a bit later.

"Ah! You bastard, I said it was cold! And would you get on with it already!"

"Oh? Impatient are we?" Ivan smirked, slowly down until he pretty much wasn't even moving. Just the slightest of twitches was all he offered.

"No~," Alfred whined. Frustrated, he removed his hand from his mouth and lifted his legs over Ivan's head, wriggling out of his jeans and underpants. He scooted farther onto the bed, getting the desired reaction when Ivan followed. Reaching up to grab Ivan's shoulders he used his body to flip their positions, so he was straddling Ivan's waist, his cock embarrassingly hard and red now. "If you won't get on with it then I will," he hissed, unbuttoning Ivan's pants and tugging them down. As his own form of teasing he held off on freeing Ivan's from his underpants, instead leaning down and mouthing along the bulge there. "Mmmm, payback's a bitch isn't it?"

"Quite the contrary," Ivan moaned, gripping Alfred's hair and pressing him down, "Payback is sweet and so very hot."

Ignoring that his revenge was actually pleasing, he moved up, away from the covered length, and tugged the undergarment down. As before Ivan's size amazed him but he ignored that in favor of reaching behind himself, lubing up his fingers with the lube from Ivan's messy hand job, and pushed one finger inside himself, shuddering and leaning forward to support himself with a hand on Ivan's still clothed chest, which wouldn't do at all.

"Take...mm, ah! Take off your shirt dammit," Alfred demanded.

Enjoying the view presented to him Ivan obeyed, sitting up to remove his shirt. Instead of laying back down he joined in, wrapping one hand around Alfred's back and allowing the other to slip down and join the now two fingers already working the blond open. Alfred's free hand came to rest on his chest, the slightest touch of nails sending tingles down his spine. When he pushed in one of his fingers alongside Alfred's two, that hand slid up to cup the back of his neck and bring their foreheads together.

"Your fingers are a bit bigger than mine," Alfred whispered.

"Does that displease you?"

"No—no that ple—ah!—pleases me very, _very_ much," Alfred responded, his toes curling as both of them hit his prostate.

"Ah, please," Alfred begged, "Please, please, please!"

"Tell me," Ivan said, licking his dry lips and narrowing his eyes, "Tell me what you want."

"I...I want..." He trailed off, getting lost in the pleasure. But the movement of Ivan's finger stopping and his other hand holding Alfred's still nearly had him scream out in dissatisfaction. Getting his wits about him he whispered harshly, "Please, I want you to fuck me! Fuckmefuckme_fuckme_."

"How lewd," Ivan chuckled. Leaning back he withdrew all touch and said, "Why don't you fuck yourself?"

Trembling with pent up pleasure Alfred raised himself onto his knees and shakily positioned himself above Ivan's waiting erection. Slowly sinking down they both let out moans, Alfred from being filled so thoroughly and Ivan from being enclosed in such a tight heat.

Too eager to adjust fully Alfred started moving right away, lifting himself up until only the head remained in him before lowering down until their hips met. It didn't take long before that tight coil of heat building up inside him had his downward thrusts growing stronger, slamming down on that wonderful, glorious cock harder and faster.

He couldn't fully explain it but there was something about their situation, about Ivan, that he just loved. He should have been more cautious getting close to the man; he should have been more afraid of a _half-demon_. But he and Ivan fit so well together that he couldn't help but to let his guard down and trust that Ivan wouldn't betray his decision. And he wasn't disappointed. Ivan was always so kind to him, always there to talk to should he need to vent to people other than his family. Plus he worried over him, and though he didn't exactly like it, Ivan had already killed for him. If that wasn't dedication he didn't want to know what was.

Barely able to keep from flipping them over and taking complete control of the sex Ivan just enjoyed the best he could. He let his eyes wander up and down, admiring the muscles in the lean body above him as they rocked together. He observed Alfred's face, how his eyes were closed just barely under furrowed eyebrows. He saw how red Alfred's lips had gotten from him biting them so often. He followed small beads of sweat as they ran down Alfred's neck and chest, which he also admired. He pressed his fingers into the flesh of Alfred's waist, watching as the reddened skin turned tan briefly before fading back to that flushed red. He skimmed his fingers down the blond hairs on Alfred's lower stomach, following them until he got to the bouncing erection, angry and red and leaking precum onto his own stomach. He gripped both of Alfred's thighs on top and allowed his hips to snap up harshly during a lull of Alfred's movements, causing the man to cry out in surprise and pleasure as he angled his thrusts just right to hit his prostate. Then he slid his hands all the way back up to Alfred's neck, gripping the fine hairs there and tugging his head down to ravage his mouth, leaving the blond breathless once he let up, then started the process all over again.

He could tell Alfred was nearing his finish by the increasingly hard thrusts on to him as he pleasured himself so shamelessly. He seemed to have forgotten about being quiet as he let out moan after moan, admittedly keeping them relatively low toned but no longer trying to suppress them. To help him along, as he too was close, he grasped Alfred's previously neglected cock and began pumping in time with his bouncing, wringing pleasured chants of his name from the blond. With one final hard downward thrust that directly pressed into his prostate Alfred came, arching and moaning out his name one last time before slumping over, almost too tired to even keep himself up for Ivan to finish.

The clenching of Alfred's muscles hugging his cock so nicely made it easy for Ivan to finish right after Alfred, pressing up into him before relaxing limply back on the bed. They stayed like that for a bit, breathing fast and basking in the bliss that was orgasm. Though not tired enough to sleep Ivan still wouldn't have minded resting his eyes, especially with Alfred in his arms, but before he closed them he noticed Alfred swaying slightly to one side before jerking back straight.

"Come on," Ivan said softly, pulling Alfred down to lay on top of him, then turning them onto their sides and in the process sliding out of him. He left Alfred on the bed as he got up and, grabbing the blanket resting at the foot of Alfred's bed, wrapped it around his waist as he walked to the bathroom down the hall, wetting a cloth to bring back to Alfred's room so he could clean them both off. When he got there Alfred was already asleep, the blush on his cheeks and neck still visible. Ivan smiled and bent down to kiss his hair, whispering "Good night" before pulling away.

* * *

When Alfred awoke it was to someone shaking him gently. There wasn't sunlight on his face like when he normally woke up, so it was either really early or later than when he usually got up. From how well-rested he felt he would go with the latter.

He woke up, blinking his eyes to clear them of the fog of sleep. The smiling face of his boyfriend greeted him.

"Good morning Alfred," he said. Alfred nodded and snuggled back into his pillow, too tired to get up. "No, no. Time to get up. We have a lot to do today."

Making a sound between a frustrated groan and a screech of discomfort Alfred lifted his head up and yawned. He sat up and rubbed at his lower back, which made Ivan chuckle. "Get up and take a shower. You have time for breakfast before Lovino and Bella arrive, if you hurry. Otherwise I don't know when we are next going to be able to eat recognizable food."

"What?" Alfred said, covering his mouth as he yawned again.

"You'll see, now hurry up."

Rushed into the bathroom by Ivan he showered and put on fresh clean clothes, then walked into the kitchen, where Ivan, Francis, Matthew, Katyusha, and their new addition Lili were. Matthew was cooking pancakes(Alfred could smell their heavenly deliciousness from down the hall), Katyusha and Lili were talking over their own plates of pancakes, while Francis and Ivan made light conversation.

"Where's dad?" Alfred asked, sitting at the head of the table opposite Francis.

"Well hello to you too," Matthew said, flipping the pancakes over. Alfred waved him off.

"Yeah, good morning to all. So where...?"

"He's in our room, reading about something he thought about this morning," Francis answered. "He gasped out of nowhere and rushed over to his book collection, flipping through the pages wildly. What he is searching for I have no idea."

"So what are we doing today?" Alfred asked. It was Lili who responded.

"We're going to the medium! Mr. Arthur and Mr. Francis promised to help me find my brother and make sure he is alright." She looked sadly down at the table. "I hope he's okay. I don't quite remember; everything's gets fuzzy when I think about it."

Alfred blinked, looking around to see if anyone else was surprised at this information. A quick scan showed that no, everyone seemed aware of the situation. Great.

"Ah, what happened?" he asked sheepishly. He guessed he slept longer than he thought.

"Me and my brother were attacked by a giant bug monster that sucks the magic out of magic users like me and him. We were doing okay for a bit but then I blacked out and when I woke up the bug and him were gone, and not only that but I didn't recognize my surroundings at all. I walked for a little bit before I blacked out again, only to wake up and see you." She looked over at Francis and Matthew. "Mr. Francis and Mr. Matthew said I was possessed and that you saved me. You must be a very powerful mage to have been able to do that."

At this Alfred looked confused and glanced at Francis and Matthew. Matthew shrugged and turned back to breakfast while Francis smiled. "That's right, he is very powerful but also a very rare type of mage." Francis gave him a knowing look and Alfred realized that, though she'd called him an Angel apparently she had no recollection of doing so and also didn't know he actually was an Angel.

"Well I'm glad you did save her," Katyusha said. "She is an absolute delight to be around!" Lili blushed at the compliment and smiled at Katyusha. "Thank you Ms. Katyusha. I enjoy being around you as well. You are a very kind Demon; I've never seen such a thing but I'm glad it's you who is nice." She turned to Ivan. "And you as well Mr. Ivan. For Demons you two are very nice."

"Why thank you, Lili. And there is no need to be so formal. We are all friends here, you can call us by our names," Ivan said. Lili seemed thrilled. "Really? Well alright then, if you all think so?" Everyone nodded.

Matthew put a plate down in front of Alfred, causing him to let out a whoop of joy. Suddenly feeling ravenous he attacked the poor, defenseless stack of pancakes. Looking on in mild fascination and disgust, Matthew said, "You have the table manners of a wild animal, and I'm part wolf. How do you not choke?" Alfred shrugged and mumbled, "Skill" around the food in his mouth.

Arthur came in at that moment, a thick book in his hands. He barely looked up at everyone before he sat at the only available seat next to Alfred and Ivan. He took one glance around the table and did a double take when he saw Alfred eating.

"My God, would you slow down? Are you trying to kill yourself?" Alfred rolled his eyes but obeyed anyway. Arthur sighed before addressing everyone. "Lovino and Bella will be here in about thirty minutes, so I will take this opportunity to run down our schedule, or at least what it looks like as of right this moment. When we arrive in the Medium Lili will lead us to her and Vash's home where we will check up on him upon Lili's request. If this creature was successful in taking Vash to its layer to feed then we will track it down and kill it. Once that is dealt with we will go visit my friend and mentor for further guidance on our quest. He will hopefully be able to direct us to our next destination. Any questions?"

"Yeah, what's the huge book for?" Alfred asked. Arthur looked down at it and read quickly over something before answering. "This is a book which I think has potentially helpful information. It all depends on what condition Heaven is in. You see, Angels are not the only beings to live and thrive there."

Everyone but Katyusha had a surprised look on their face. Turning to her Arthur asked, "You know what I speak of?"

She nodded. "I have only ever seen Angels and Sprites but I know that there are two other beings that live there. Or lived there; there are no more Angels but I do not know about the fate of the others."

"Right, yes, you are correct. Along with Angels there are three other types of Holy beings that inhabit Heaven: Sprites, Divines, and Guardians."

"Ooohhhh," Ivan said, "Are they the opposites of the creatures of Hell?"

"Yes. As Heaven and Hell used to be opposites, so too were the creatures that lived there. In Heaven are the Holy: Angels, Guardians, Divines, and Sprites. In Hell are the Damned: Demons, Behemoths, Accursed, and Imps. Each Holy being had powers opposite of their Damned counterpart. Of course, with the extinction of Angels the balanced has tipped and truthfully I have no idea how that has affected the Holy beings of Heaven."

"So...what does this have to do with us?" Alfred asked. It was exciting hearing about Heaven but since he was the last of his kind it was kind of depressing. He wanted to hear about Heaven in its prime, not about its downfall.

"Well, I believe that we are going to have to go to Heaven eventually, and it would be best if we were suitably prepared. The beings of Heaven are said to be the most benevolent of all others but I do not know if that holds true to this day. And if my hunch is correct, we will not be able to complete our journey without their help."

"We...have to go to Heaven?" Alfred mumbled quietly to himself. This was something he'd never really thought of. Thinking about Heaven and what it might have been like was one thing but going there and seeing the possible degradation of it was another. It was a big step and he didn't know if he was ready for that.

"Why would they not help us? We have...you know. What reasons do they have to refuse us?" Francis asked, referring to Alfred.

"I cannot say. I'm sure the Guardians and Spites would help but I don't know about the Divines. They have always been too proud for their own good. Without the Angels they might have taken Heaven for themselves. But as no one has seen them for decades I don't know their status." Arthur had consulted with a lot of other mages about this subject over the years. He wanted to learn as much as possible about Angels and Heaven so when he finally told Alfred what he was—or Alfred discovered it somehow—his questions could be answered.

"What are they? Surely if they live in Heaven they must be nice, like the Angels were said to be right?" Lili asked. It may have been hundreds of years since the fall of the Angels but they were remembered in both the Human Realm and the Medium as being kind and gentle souls who helped those in need and always did the right thing. If there were other beings in Heaven, coexisting with the Angels, then they must have been nice as well.

"Well, yes and no," Arthur answered. "Angels were undoubtedly the nicest beings in all the Realms. Sprites I would say are the second kindest. They are little balls of the purest form of Holy energy, and when they take a human form they look similar to fairies, the only difference is that they have no discernible features. Their entire body is made of light and they draw energy directly from Heaven. Guardians would be the third kindest, but they are different from the other three. Guardians are named as such because of what they do; they guard the gates of Heaven. They are huge towering beasts, not unlike dogs, which were in the command of the Angels only. They were said to be fiercely loyal and impossible to defeat, but now that the Angels are gone I know not what the Divines have done to them. As for the Divines, they are the most proud of Heaven. Essentially they are mages who can use the natural energy Heaven produces. But they were never human; they may look human and speak any of our tongues but they think themselves vastly superior to non-Holy beings."

"Wow, Heaven and Hell really are opposites then, aren't they? That is just like with the Imps, dark mages, and beasts of Hell. I did not think they were so evenly matched," Ivan said. Having been to Hell and lived there for a number of years while still in his mother's care he knew well the monsters that resided in Hell. Though Demons were by far the most proud(it was a sin, along with the others, which many of them embodied). And instead of protecting the entrance of Hell, Behemoths blocked the exit from any unfortunate souls dumb enough to either be trapped in Hell, sent there, or wonder through a portal there. Only Demons, Imps, and the Accursed were allowed to pass by them without being teared to shreds. As for the Accursed they usually kept to themselves, corrupted and twisted by dark magic as they were.

"Indeed they _were_. As I have stated the balance has tipped and the residents of Heaven changed in a number of ways. Though I am optimistic that one of them will be able to help us, especially with our advantage," Arthur said, once again referring to Alfred. He caught the implications that he would be able to provide some great help, but he wasn't sure he _could_ help. He'd never been to Heaven, he'd never seen another Angel, nor any of the other Holy beings. He had lived with humans all his life; what if they refused to help him for being tainted or something?

"Yeah, everything should work out just fucking peachy. And maybe you'll all succeed, but for now all I see is your goddamn deaths," said an irate voice from the door. Everyone looked over to see Lovino and Bella, Lovino scowling at them all and Bella smiling and waving. "Good morning everyone!" A chorus of good mornings, most half-hearted, were her answer. Lovino's scowl deepened.

"Yeah, what a swell morning. Let's just fucking get own with it," Lovino said, turning away from them and pushing past Bella to go to the living room. Bella gave them all an apologetic smile. "Sorry about him. His goodbye to Feliciano didn't go so well."

"It's quite alright. I can't imagine Feliciano taking that information well at all but I'm sure Ludwig will help him through it," Arthur said. Alfred turned his head to look at him. "What do you mean? What would Lovino have told Feliciano that would make them so upset?"

"Alfred, we'll be going to the Medium," Matthew said, picking up the plate from his brother and placing it in the sink. "Think about that."

Alfred thought but not very hard, shrugging and shaking his head. "It's very simple," Arthur said, shutting his book and standing up, causing everyone else to as well, "Going to the Medium with a task like ours does not guarantee a safe return, or a return at all. Lovino pretty much told Feliciano that they may never see each other again, and with how rotten Lovino's mood is, they just might not."

Following everyone into the living room, the impact of how monumental their adventure was going to be hit Alfred. It was true that they might not return, or return without loved ones. He hadn't thought about it but this wasn't some video game where everything turned out alright and everyone had extra lives. They had one life and if they weren't careful they could very well lose it.

"Now," Arthur said, "Since everyone has been to the Medium except for Alfred and Matthew we will being going separately. With the small amount of herbs collected during the unfortunate events last night it would be better to travel there in a small group. Alfred and Ivan will go together and Matthew and Francis will go together, using the standard transportation through a portal. Everyone else I'm assuming has a way to get there?" He looked around and got nods from those he had not mentioned. "Great."

Walking over to Alfred and Matthew he handed them both a small cup filled with a green colored liquid. He then walked over to Francis and accepted a pack. Alfred noticed that his fathers, Matthew, Lovino, and Bella had packs as well. "Here."

He turned to Ivan, who had a backpack in his hands. "This is for you. It is enchanted to hold more than it looks like it can carry. There are clothes as well as hygiene supplies in there."

"Thank you," Alfred said, taking the pack and slinging it over his shoulder. He hadn't even thought about making a pack. It didn't really register that they wouldn't be returning home anytime soon. "But what about you?"

"Katyusha has a house in the Medium which has everything we will need. I will be fine."

"Oh, okay then."

"Right, is everyone ready?" Arthur asked. "Alfred, Matthew, you should drink the potion now."

They did, faces crinkling up in disgust. "Ugh, it tastes like dirt!" Alfred complained.

"Well what the hell did you expect from plants, cherry?" Lovino sneered. If he wasn't in such a shitty mood he might have laughed at their misfortune.

"Here, take this bottle and throw it to the ground at your feet. Also, maybe you should bend your knees," Arthur instructed, handing a bottle to Ivan and Francis. Ivan looked to Alfred. "Ready?"

"I guess," Alfred said, standing closer to Ivan. Ivan threw the bottle at their feet, a weird tingling feeling instantly filling his body as the world swirled into a multitude of colors before whiting out.


	22. Chapter 22

**Right, so this story's almost done. There should be three more chapters, for a total of twenty-five.**

* * *

The sky was blue.

Granted, it had no reason not to be, but for the longest time Alfred thought that the Medium, having evolved from magic, was magical in nature. But everything looked normal. The sky wasn't some yellowish green color with gray clouds. Giant concentrations of bushes didn't grow tree trunks. Grass wasn't purple with strange bugs milling about. Everything was just...normal.

It was very disappointing.

The sky was the first thing he noticed, lying on his back as he was. He'd severely underestimated the impact in the new realm, and as such had been thrown off balance upon landing. Turning his head at least confirmed that Matthew too had suffered the same. Ivan and Francis though had landed normally, offering their hands to their respective charges. Each accepted with a murmur of thanks.

Noticing something lacking from their group Alfred voiced his thoughts. "Where are the others?"

"Ah. That would be the beauty of the Medium," Francis answered, wiping some dust from his shirt. "If you do not travel together you do not arrive together." He put his hand across his eyes to shield them from the sun and looked in all directions. "They should be around here somewhere, though if not I'm sure Katyusha would be able to sense your location."

"Right...isn't that going to be a problem?" Alfred pointed out. Wasn't it bad that he could be sensed so easily be any creature, good or bad?

"Potentially," Ivan answered, clapping a hand on his shoulder, "But we will protect you."

"Right," Alfred agreed, distracted already by his surroundings. "I thought everything would look different."

"Oh, you too?" Matthew asked, a small smirk on his face. "Kind of a disappointment, right?"

"Yeah. I don't know what I expected but it certainly wasn't this," Alfred remarked, gesturing to the whole of their environment, where birds flew above and bugs crawled below. It was remarkably ordinary, with no sign of anything extraordinary. It was also vastly different from the environment they'd just left. It was winter last time he checked, but the sun was out the breeze was warm.

"Well, I hope you didn't think we'd arrive at the mouth of a dragon's cave," Francis joked.

"No but...I don't know, the whole place isn't like this is it? I mean there's got to be something somewhere that's pretty amazingly different, like orange grass and pink trees, right?"

"If you know where to look, of course. But for now we should focus on finding the others, don't you agree?" Ivan asked. Alfred huffed.

"Yeah, sure. Lead on."

* * *

It was always startling entering the Medium. The world was so full of magic that to take everything in was a lot. All the magic rushing around them and through them(mages he meant)resulted in many a dizzy spells, but over time he'd gotten used to the feeling. Now it was a comfort he didn't often feel in the Human Realm, as the eventual disbelief in magic there had weakened its once prominent power.

Though, the Medium was not without its tricks. Six of their group were obviously missing, a bad sign considering half the creatures would love nothing more than tear every one of them to shreds(except Katyusha, most would run at first sight of her). Best to find them as quickly as possible.

But why, oh why, did he have to be stuck with Lovino.

"Great, just fucking great," Lovino growled, irritated from whatever he'd just seen. "Nothing ever goes right, goddammit!"

"Oh shove off, would you? You can mope and bitch all day or you can be productive and help me find Francis and the others," Arthur stated, his fuse already burnt out. Lovino's insistent nagging and overall pissyness was irritating and quite frankly he'd had enough. He had a family to find before they got themselves killed and he wasn't going to let a young seer with brother issues get in his way.

Lovino glared at him, something Arthur had no trouble returning. "What did you say, you fucking limey? I don't have to take this—!"

"Lovino, please!" Bella interrupted, placing her hand on his arm gently. He stopped glaring in favor of turning to her, his gaze automatically softening. "Three members of his family are missing, two of which have never been here before. I know you had a rough time with Feliciano but you have to be strong and help Alfred finish this journey. I know you know what will happen if he fails and I also know you don't want that to come to light. So please, if not for anyone else then for me." She grabbed both his hands in hers. "I am sworn to protect you but I can't if you do not let me. I promise no harm will come to you so you and Feliciano can meet again."

Pulling a hand out of her grasp Lovino rubbed it across his face, a weary sigh slipping from his lips. She was right of course. She was always right.

"Okay—okay, I'm sorry. You're right, I was being an insensitive dick. I know what's at stake here." Turning to Arthur, who had lessened his glare but still looked generally angry, he apologized.

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again. I just have a lot going on personally...but I know that sometimes, to do the right thing, you have to let go of those close to you if you want them to be safe. I'll find them for you."

"That's all I ask," Arthur stated, playing nice so long as Lovino did. He too could do for a straightening out himself, manner wise, but with all that was happening and with all that would be happening, he was stretched a little thin.

"Ah shit," Lovino muttered, glancing in a direction to their right.

"What, what's wrong?" Bella asked.

"Two are close but...just follow me," he ordered, running towards the direction he'd been staring. The other two mages followed immediately but with confused expressions.

It couldn't have been more than two minutes before they came upon a wide clearing and the obvious reason why Lovino brought them this way.

Presumably, that magic eating bug monster that had attacked Vash and Lili had found Katyusha and the young witch, back for more it seemed. Katyusha had been pinned to a tree by the sticky and deceptively dangerous webbing the creature produced. It must have had some sort of energy draining or blocking ability for Katyusha to not have broken out of the trap by now. Lili was casting enchantments around herself and Katyusha, the barrier cracked already by the scorpion like tail this thing had. He wasn't sure what this creature was actually, and that made it unpredictable. It looked like a spider, praying mantis, and scorpion smashed into one, with a mantis like front, spider like behind, and scorpion like stinger, attached onto a flexible tail. He'd never seen such a mutated creature and had no idea what spells would work. But one thing he had going for him was the knowledge that it fed on magic and therefore was prey to the absence of magic. He knew a few choice spells that would stun it but for an unknown period of time. Hopefully enough to let them escape.

"Okay, Bella, help Lili strengthen her barrier while I work on stunning the beast," Arthur commanded, summoning one of his staffs. "Right!" she responded, closing the distance between them before adding her own barrier to Lili's crumbling one. The harder surface had the stinger bouncing off, not a scratch on it. Puzzled, it paused and Arthur took the opportunity and fired a ball of flames at it. The fireball soared through the air, hitting the creature but dissipating on impact. Not even a scorch mark remained. "Fuck," he muttered, tensing as the bug turned its attention to him. It was surprisingly fast, rushing towards him at an alarming rate. Its tail was rigid above it, poised to strike.

It came down, Arthur dodging at the last moment possible. The stinger impaled the ground, a small portion around it turning a sickly black color. Arthur jumped to his feet, just in time to block the tail's second attempt with his staff, but the sudden hit threw him off balance and he tumbled to the ground. Panicked, he tried ice next, sending a freezing bolt towards the bug. The blast hit its tail, encasing the stinger completely in ice. The creature let out a strange hissing sound and brought its stinger close to inspect it, then started smashing the block of ice on the ground and any nearby trees.

_What the hell? How smart is this thing? I thought it was a bloody bug!_ He thought, getting back on his feet. Inching closer, he held his staff up and drew all the magic around him and the bug towards it. The monster bug reared and screeched something horrible, falling to the ground and twitching as the absence of magic around it stunned it.

Once it was safe he and Lovino ran towards the three girls, Lovino tending to a tired Lili while Bella and Arthur tried to free Katyusha from the sticky web.

"It is draining me, but not very effectively," Katyusha reported. "The creature does not feed on demonic energy, that much is certain."

"What have you tried?" Arthur asked, mind racing as he tried to think of how to clear the web away. Burn it? Freeze it? Take away its sticky property? Burning the bug hadn't worked very well but freezing was effective. He still had to worry about the creature snapping out of its temporary stunning.

"I've tried burning but—look out!" Katyusha warned, but not fast enough. The bug had silently regained its bearings and shot a string of web in their direction. The string hit both Arthur and Bella in the back, pulling them towards the monster as it used its front appendages to rear its catch closer.

"Bella!" Lovino yelled, knowing what would happen but worried about her anyway. She was special to him and had protected him many times, as well as offer comfort when needed. He couldn't imagine her disappearing from his life so soon.

Arthur and Bella clawed at the ground and Arthur shouted, "Try freezing it! And find the others before coming for us! I have some ideas that might slow down the draining process!" His voice grew quieter as the bug monster retreated into the forest, dragging Arthur and Bella with it.

"No! Dammit!" Lovino cursed, punching the nearest tree in frustration. He took a deep breath before pulling himself together and turning to Katyusha and Lili. "Know any good freezing spells?"

"I might know one or two," Lili smiled, walking up to Katyusha and the restricting webbing. She placed her hands as close to it as possible without actually touching it and murmured the spell under her breath. In no time the web started to freeze from the inside, ice encasing it but not Katyusha, though she did shiver from the coldness. As a being from Hell she wasn't used to feeling cold, but coldness produced by magic was stronger and had some effect.

Backing away when she was sure the web was completely frozen, Lili paused before expertly kicking the frozen web to pieces, freeing Katyusha from the tree. She gave a sigh of relief and hugged Lili.

"Thank you Lili."

"No offense, but we should probably find the others and rescue Bella and Arthur now," Lovino urged. "Can you sense Alfred? Or your brother? That would work, they're probably together."

"No I understand," Katyusha smiled, letting go of Lili but keeping a hand on her. "I can sense both and they are close together. I will bring us to them." She held out her other hand to Lovino, which he hesitantly took. Katyusha closed her eyes and in an instant teleported them to the others.

* * *

There were no people to be seen, which weirded Alfred out. There were also no towns or villages or whatever they called places where people congregated either though, so he supposed it wasn't too unusual. No one else seemed bothered by it, and really he should be thankful that nothing had confronted them yet given his circumstances but still, being the only people around was strange and unnerving.

Ivan had said his sister was not too far away, and to draw as little attention to themselves as possible they walked, staying in human form and acting human as well. And though nothing was outright coming at them it didn't mean there weren't creatures of all sorts lurking just out of sight, ready for one of them(probably _him_)to be distracted.

Ivan stopped suddenly, Alfred bumping into him, as he'd been walking behind the man and was, admittedly, distracted. Rubbing his nose Alfred asked, "Dude, why'd you stop?"

"We are here," Ivan said, like it was obvious. Alfred and Matthew glanced around, seeing the trees sway in the wind and nothing else, certainly not the arrival of a Demon. "Uh, are you sure—?"

He was cut off by the sudden sight of Katyusha, Lili, and Lovino, an odd combination of their group to be together. Lovino stumbled away from Katyusha, trying to find his footing after that disorienting trip. Was that truly how Demons traveled at times? How did they remain coherent?

Katyusha supported Lili as she stumbled too. She thanked her and focused on the group, delighted to see the werewolves there as well.

"Oh, how wonderful to see all four of you together!" Katyusha exclaimed. "I'm afraid something has happened."

"Oh great, good news right off the bat," Alfred said sarcastically, earning a nudge in the ribs from Matthew. "What?"

"No Alfred, it is not good news at all," Lili said, not catching the joking tone in his voice. "The bug that attacked Vash and I has captured Arthur and Bella as well. If we do not find them they will be drained of their magic."

"Which means they'll die, but that's not going to happen alright?" Lovino added, frightened by that truth. Of all the ways to go, for a mage having the magic sucked out of you was pretty horrible and painful. Bella wasn't going to die and definitely not like this.

"They were kidnapped by a giant bug? Well how do we save them?" Alfred asked no one in particular. "Can we even find them?"

"I do not think that will be a problem," Katyusha said. The bug was not very good at hiding its scent or tracks. It would not be difficult to find, but hard to confront. It was remarkably strong for such a creature, with the ability to restrain Demons. If they weren't careful they could very well be trapped along with the two mages.

"We will go in small groups again, hm?" Katyusha suggested, placing a hand on Lili and beckoning Lovino over again. He groaned at the prospect of that wicked way of travel but knew he had no choice. Tilting her head and staring at her brother, they seemed to have a silent conversation before Ivan shook his head and Katyusha nodded. "Matthew, why don't you join us as well. It will be faster this way. Just hold Lili's or Lovino's hand."

"Uh, sure," he said, walking over to Lili and taking her offered hand. He didn't want to hold Lovino's hand simply because of the look he was given. They disappeared shortly after.

"What was that about?" Alfred asked, referring to Ivan and Katyusha's silent discussion. Ivan stood between Alfred and Francis. "It is easier for her to transport three people as opposed to me doing it. She is stronger than I am," he explained, wrapping an arm around Alfred and putting his hand on Francis's shoulder. "Hold on tight," he whispered to Alfred before he followed after his sister.

* * *

"Vash, so very nice to see you."

"I can't say the same Arthur, truly our situation is not one of joyful greetings."

"Ah, very true. Although you will be happy to know that Lili is safe and within our care."

"Lili? She's okay? What happened?"

And so Arthur explained everything Francis had told him about their herb gathering gone wrong. He included her possession and that it was Alfred who saved her, though he left out exactly how. Vash listened intently, serious on all matters including his dear baby sister. He was very protective of her and loved her with all his heart, and his time trapped by that stupid bug monster was causing him heartache so intense he thought he might just die from it alone. Not knowing where she was or if she was even _alive _was terribly frightening and hearing she was safe was such a relief.

"Can you fill us in on what happened with you too before she became possessed?" Arthur inquired. Lili didn't remember much and if there was something going around causing witches to be possessed then it had to be dealt with.

"We were walking in the woods, on a trail we travel every day. It was for nothing more than enjoying each other's company and relaxing. But that thing came out of nowhere and attacked us, and as it doesn't speak we had no idea why. Lili is a talented witch but the bug was proving too strong for both of us. I had finally managed to detain in when Lili collapsed and I nearly had a heart attack. My focus shifted to her and off the bug, which was a huge mistake as it caught me in its web and dragged me away. She was still passed out when I lost sight of her. I don't know what happened to her, but whatever it was the bug instantly had no interest in her. It focused on me and left her be. Then it stuck me here and left."

'Here' was a cave near a small creek and waterfall, a natural sun roof providing light. The walls were coated in that sticky webbing, all three of them restrained along it. The webbing came up to their chests, making their legs and arms impossible to move. The natural draining quality worked slowly, but effectively. There _were_ skeletons stuck to the walls. Already Arthur felt tired and worn through; he couldn't imagine how Vash must have felt, having been there for days.

"That is peculiar and definitely warrants some looking into."

"If we can escape this cave," Bella reminded him.

"Ah, yes, you are quite right. I am sure the others are—" Just then Katyusha, Lili, Lovino, and Matthew appeared in the cave. "—on their way," Arthur finished.

"Brother!" Lili cried, running up to him. She wanted so badly to hug him but she knew touching the webs would trap her as well. "Brother I'm so glad you're all right!"

"Lili..." Vash murmured, being filling with warmth at her safety and concern. "Are you alright?"

Managing a small smile despite the situation, Lili answered, "Yes brother, Alfred saved me, and everyone has been so nice in helping me find you."

"Again, no offense but we kind of have something to do?" Lovino said, standing close to Bella. He was so glad she was unharmed. The suspense had been killing him.

"Right, how did you free Katyusha?"

"Freezing the webs works well, but there is much more than with just her. I do not know if I will be able to do it," Lili said, looking upset at that fact. She wanted to help everyone but she was simply not powerful enough.

"You do not need to free us all, just free Vash first and—" Arthur was interrupted by the appearance of the bug, its screeching drawing their attention. It went immediately for Lili and Lovino, ignoring Katyusha in favor of the two magic users. Matthew changed quickly and lunged at it, biting at its neck and clawing deep gashes into it. Slimy green blood oozed from the wounds. The bug hissed and threw Matthew off. He landed on his feet and stood protectively in front of everyone, growling threateningly with raised fur. Katyusha made a barrier around them and the trapped mages, one much stronger than Lili's. The odd thing however was that the monster didn't approach them and try to break the barrier. It hissed and screeched some more before pacing back and forth, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

There was a pause in which Katyusha maintained the barrier and the bug watched them intently, one broken by the arrival of the last three of their missing group. The bug hissed and crippled in on itself, twitching wildly as it retreated to the farthest corner of the cave it could.

"What the hell?" Alfred asked, taking in the scene of the others under the barrier and the bug moving back. There was a weird feeling in his head, like he could hear static, and it appeared to be coming from the bug's direction.

"Come on," Ivan said, grabbing Alfred's hand and passing through the barrier, Francis following behind. "What do we do?" Ivan asked Arthur.

"This webbing is draining the magic from us. Freezing it works but Lili needs help," Arthur informed him.

"Okay, but Demons are not good at ice spells at all. It comes with being tied to the never ending fires of Hell, as you must know."

"Yes I know that but...Alfred. Alfred see if you can free us."

"Me?" Alfred asked, pointing to himself and looking unsure. "But I don't think I know any ice spells, or how to even make ice!"

"That's fine, I just want you to cover your hand in magic and touch the web."

"Just touch it? If you say so," Alfred agreed, gathering his energy in his hand, his markings lighting up on cue. Vash and Lili marveled at them. "What...?" Vash started, but Arthur caught his eye and shook his head. That was something he knew was going to raise questions, but for now he had to worry about getting away from the bug.

Alfred approached the web trapping Vash and placed his hand flush to it. It glowed instantly, the entire length along the wall starting to swell as it absorbed the unfamiliar magic. It swelled until it started trembling, then shattered abruptly, freeing all three mages. Alfred blinked and released his magic.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I noticed that the bug only goes for magic users of the natural kind; it ignored Katyusha and Lili when she was possessed. It doesn't feed on demonic energy, and from its strong reaction towards it I'd say it might die from doing so. I didn't know what your...unique type of energy would do to the webs, but I had a hunch," Arthur explained, feeling slightly dumb for not noticing that the bug didn't like other types of magic sooner. The signs were all there.

Lili hugged Vash now that he was free, though he was only strong enough to weakly hug back. The draining had really taken a lot out of him, and he was sure without support he'd collapse. "Are you okay brother?" Lili asked, noticing the way he seemed to sway and move slowly.

"Yes, just tired. I need to rest to let my body recuperate from all the magic it lost."

"Of course brother, and I will make you that soup you like so much," Lili said, putting Vash's arm around her shoulders and wrapping her other arm around his back. "But what about the bug?"

"Well it can't be left alive," Arthur stated. "It's too dangerous and has already killed an unknowable amount of mages. It has to die."

Matthew growled at it and Francis patted him from where he stood next to his son, inspecting the green blood painting his fur and looking for any injuries on Matthew himself.

Alfred watched the bug tremble in the corner with a saddened expression. He didn't know why but the bug seemed...afraid, and sad. The way it hissed and whined and trembled pulled at his heart for some reason. He took a few steps towards it, only to be grabbed by Ivan. "Wait, we don't know what it will do. We should come up with a plan first."

"I know but...there's something about it that I think...I know what to do."

"Are you sure?" Arthur asked, tone strict. Alfred hesitated before glancing at the bug and nodding.

"Alright, just be careful." Arthur motioned for Ivan to let Alfred go, which he did reluctantly. Alfred walked slowly up to the bug, which screeched at him and seemed to be trying its best at molding into the wall. Alfred brought his hands up as a sign of peace, showing he meant no harm.

"It's okay," he whispered, holding his hands out. "I know you didn't mean it."

The others looked on in fascination and confusion as the bug gradually stopped its trembling and lowered itself fully to the ground, extending its head out cautiously. Alfred waited patiently for the bug to touch his hand first.

He smiled when the bug relaxed completely, both of his hands resting on the bug's smooth head. Instead of a hissing there was a deep rumble. Alfred rubbed the bug's head slowly. "I know you're not a natural creature. Someone did this to you, changed you and forced you to feed off magic. But you don't have to anymore, I can set you free." He leaned down a bit until his forehead rested on the bug's, at which point both of them glowed a soft white. Everyone looked on in amazement as the bug slowly disintegrated away, until only the glowing remains twirled through the air and faded away.

There was silence after, no one quite sure what had happened. Alfred stood up walked back over to them, a small smile on his face at their faces. "What?"

"H-How did you do that?" Vash asked. That magic had been positively pure and white. He'd never seen such a thing nor felt so warm and light hearted. Alfred looked to Arthur, who shrugged and said, "I guess, with that, there's no need to hide it anymore."

"I'm not a mage," Alfred said, "I'm an Angel."

There was another moment of silence while Vash and Lili took in that information and processed just what it meant.

"No way," Vash breathed, "An Angel? But how?"

"He was saved, sent to Earth and raised by Katyusha here and myself afterward. For a long time he didn't even know what he was, but something had forced our hand and well...you must realize how important it is that nobody learn of him?" Arthur explained. He knew Vash was trustworthy, and as Alfred had saved him and Lili he had no reason to put him in danger, but he couldn't help but worry about revealing their secret.

"Of course, we'd never dream of putting you in danger like that, right brother?" Lili said. "After all, he saved me from being possessed and saved you from the bug monster."

"Right, thanks for that, by the way."

Alfred shrugged. "It's no big deal, it was Arthur's idea."

"Still, saving Lili..." Vash looked down at her and managed to hug her stronger than before. "I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you. Now, I'm afraid this is where we part ways. You two need to head on home and we need to visit an old friend of mine."


	23. Chapter 23

The air was thick with the frustration and anger his opponent was radiating. Dark eyes seemed to smile, smirk even, following his lip's lead as he dealt blow after blow to the other's defenses. Curses fell from red lips, dark from teeth gnawing at them. Taking pity, he offered a reasonably respectful surrender.

"You should give up now. I'd hate to win again."

"Fuck you," the man snarled, brows drawn in contemplation as he pondered his next move. A hesitant piece was placed, but he only grinned.

"Checkmate."

"Goddammit!" Al yelled, standing up and flipping the chess board over, pieces flying everywhere. Ivan laughed at his childish reaction, amused whenever Al was annoyed. "Sonuvabitch!" he growled, storming off. His dark wings bristled in his rage.

"Maybe next time dear," Ivan called, receiving a middle finger before Al disappeared. He used his magic, what was left of it at least, to right the board and bring the pieces back in order.

Staring fondly at the chess set, Ivan remembered back to the first time Alfred had beaten him. Many "Woo hoo!" s and "In your face!" s had been had, all in good nature of course, but Alfred had been so happy he'd beaten the "chess master". It was one of Ivan's greatest and happiest memories, and the board he and Al played with, simply a figment of his imagination, had been from that time. It was a board that meant something to him, to _them_, yet Al did not recognize it, and it made Ivan's chest ache to have reality so coldly thrust upon him.

He dropped the illusion, thinking back on Alfred's proposal in the sunflower field.

He knew the young man only meant well, and it was very tempting to take him up on his offer, but he knew that if he was in the other Ivan's place, he would not want Alfred to stray to anyone, even another version of himself, especially if that other version was thought to be an enemy.

Sighing, he could only hope his and Alfred's plan worked out.

* * *

The similarity of this world and his own was something he could not get used to. As their group traveled through dense forest, he couldn't help but overlap images of places he knew with what he was seeing. Everything just looked so normal, it was as disappointing as it was a relief. But it was dangerous as well. Everything was so normal, too normal almost. He had a hard time remembering why they were there in the first place. This wasn't a vacation, and more than once he had to tell himself that. Besides, it wouldn't do to grow distracted, as a majority of the creatures wandering the same forest as them would love nothing more than to rip him and everyone here to shreds, except maybe Katyusha, who he was sure invoked way too much fear in them to be attacked.

After leaving Vash in Lili's care, and promising Lili they'd return when they were finished with their journey, no matter how long it took, Arthur had brought out his map and proceeded to lead them to the town his friend lived in, but they'd been traveling in circles for a while now and Arthur wouldn't let anyone help him with the map. Already he'd seen what he could have sworn was the same tree like five times now. Arthur needed to get over himself if they were going to get anywhere.

Behind him he could here Katyusha and Bella talking quietly about nothing in particular, and at one point their conversation had covered Arthur's refusal for help from Francis. "What is it with guys and asking for directions?" And they'd giggled over it.

"Arthur?" Katyusha called to the front of the group, causing Arthur to stop and turn around, a frustrated look on his face. "Do you not think it would be beneficial to have someone help you? I have been here many times in my life, I would be happy to assist you in directing us." Arthur opened his mouth and closed it, wanting to object, because he knew where he was going, if only everyone would just be patient and stop bothering him about it, but how could he turn down Katyusha's polite offer of assistance, especially(and he hated to admit it)when he needed the help.

"Erm, yes, of course, if that will speed things along, I would appreciate it."

As Katyusha walked over to Arthur to help him, Ivan poked Alfred's side. "There's another one."

"Where?" Alfred said, glancing down as well as he could at his shoulders. Seeing nothing there, he patted himself down gently, but Ivan stopped him. "In your hood."

Ivan reached into it slowly and picked up the little hitchhiker nestled there. Alfred held his hands out, palm up, so Ivan could place her down on it. "Listen little lady, I don't know what you and your kind are up to, but I don't enjoy being crowded by your little wandering hands. Go tell your friends that, okay?" The fairy on his palms crossed her arms and pouted, but instantly perked up and darted away. Alfred shook his head and looked to Ivan. "Why me?"

Ivan shrugged and slung an arm around Alfred's shoulders. "They just find you pleasant to be around, given what you are. They are not the only ones."

At first the fairies had been a joy to see, as they were so small and adorable. They had flitted around their group, being drawn to Bella, Lovino, Arthur, and Alfred. But while Lovino succeeded in shooing them away, nothing Alfred did to get them to stop bothering him worked. They sat on his shoulders, petting his hair and relaxing as he walked. They gathered in his hood and even sat on his head given the chance. Arthur, seemingly unbothered by the fairies around him, had explained that they were drawn to Alfred more so than to everyone else simply because his aura appealed to them most. Like their own, Alfred's was good and pure and bright, and it was natural for them to be attracted to that, but that didn't mean Alfred liked being crowded by them.

"Yeah I know, but I don't like it. You know how weird it is to feel little hands petting your hair and face?" He shivered and Ivan smiled. "I can't say that I do."

"Alright everyone, this way!" Arthur called out, resuming his way through the trees and shrubbery. Ivan and Alfred stayed in their one-sided hug, Alfred wrapping his arm around Ivan's back. Katyusha returned to Bella's side and Francis pestered Arthur about being unwelcoming of help unless from a pretty lady, to which Arthur glared and had to restrain himself from yelling at Francis. Matthew shook his head, sighing and following behind, while Lovino followed behind him, his face showing his obvious displeasure about something, but knowing Lovino he'd only glare and tell everyone(except Bella)to mind their own damn business.

They talked mindlessly about everything, and Alfred found out about the stories Arthur had told Ivan and Katyusha about his youth.

"No, you _didn't_ dad, please no," Alfred groaned, slapping a palm to his red face. Arthur chuckled quietly at the front of the group. "What did he tell you?"

"Some stories about when you were becoming a pilot, fears you had in your childhood, things like that," Ivan informed him, and Alfred whined at the knowledge that they knew probably embarrassing tales about him. "Was that all?"He desperately hoped so, but Ivan's sly grin told him all he need to know.

"Dad! How could you!" Alfred exclaimed, now the center of attention. Arthur seemed amused rather then irritated, which was honestly a miracle given his previous experiences yelling at his father. "Don't you think Ivan and his sister should know more about you? After all, they're like extended family, right?" And he chuckled and Alfred never wanted to...do _something_ to the man more than at this moment.

"Don't worry Alfred," Katyusha said, reaching over and patting his arm. "They weren't that bad really, but if you'd like I could tell you about Ivan's childhood." Ivan stared in horror at her, mostly because a majority of his "childhood" had been spent getting used to his abilities and killing innocent people. So he flushed and Alfred felt a little better at not being the only one embarrassed.

"That sounds wonderful, Katyusha," Alfred said, shooting Ivan a sly smile in return, though Ivan rolled his eyes and started walking again. "Are we close? I would very much like to move on."

"Yes," Arthur said, going through his map and marking their location. "The path should be just around the corner here, and once we reach the main road the town will be in sight."

Continuing their expedition, Alfred couldn't help the tingle up and down his spine when he felt like he was being watched, but glancing around held no answers. There was nothing blaringly threatening about their surroundings so he didn't know why he felt so tense. No one else seemed so on edge, with the exception of Lovino of course, but it was more of a standard feeling for the seer, so he excluded him. Some rustling to his right made him snap his head in that direction, tugging on Ivan's sleeve at the same time. "Ivan," he hissed, "I think there's something following us."

"Hm?" Ivan hummed, following Alfred's eyes to the bushes, but there was nothing dangerous around, and if there was they would only sign their death warrants because Ivan would kill anything before it got close to Alfred. Though there was a presence coming closer...they meant no harm, so he kept that to himself. "Alfred, you are not helpless. Do you sense anything nearby?"

Alfred pursed his lips and wondered why he hadn't tried that, though to be fair he was still getting used to the whole magical being thing, and he was sure it would take more than two months. Nonetheless he focused on the sounds around him and what he felt, and discovered, no, there was nothing harmful around. It still didn't alleviate his suspicion.

"Well no, but that doesn't mean there's nothing out there."

"You're right," Ivan said, before he stepped to the side, away from Alfred, who noticed and gave him a funny look. "What are you doing?"

"Getting out of the way."

"For what?"

Instead of answering Ivan just smiled his little mysterious smile which left Alfred confused, but his question was answered by a fairy flying in front of his face, turning his attention to her.

"Back for more?" He said to her, tone reproachful. He wiggled a finger at her. "I don't think so missy, you're not going to use me as a walking bed anymore, got that?"

She blinked and tilted her head, then giggle, the sound like bells, and latched onto his finger. It must have been a trigger, because out of nowhere dozens of fairies crowded around him, sitting or holding onto anything they could, laughing all the while. Alfred let out a startled sound and froze, uncertain as to what to do. Everyone was staring at him now, Ivan amused, and now Alfred realized why he'd backed away. The two girls giggled at his misfortune while everyone except Lovino had a smile on their face, but Lovino had something akin to one forming. Alfred huffed and waved his arms around(gently)to get the fairies away from him, but they were persistent.

"A little help, maybe?"

"Oh let them have their fun, there's no harm," Arthur said, resuming his march through the thicket.

"How would you like being covered in them?" But everyone was moving on so he'd just have to deal with them.

Before long they walked onto a wide dirt road. At this point many of Alfred's hitchhikers had wandered away, back from where they'd come from no doubt, though some straggled behind and Alfred made no move to dislodge them.

Even from a distance the town could be seen, and it renewed the sense of eagerness and impending confrontation. They were finally going to get answers and formulate a concrete plan, but at the same time they'd be that much closer to traveling to the unknown. Alfred would be lying if he said he wasn't afraid or at least apprehensive about his future. He remembered Lovino saying something about seeing his deaths, as in more than one. Did that mean he'd died in this world many times, from different situations and plans of attack? Or did those visions come from his morbid train of thought at the time? Lovino looked too moody to be prodded for answers so Alfred would have to wait.

As they got closer to the town, Alfred could see that the buildings looked familiar. There was no distinct style common to the houses and shops, more like everyone had built their own home depending on their personal needs. They walked through the small gates into the town and into the bustle of people. Their clothing was strange as well, once again not many common pieces between them. Woman mainly wore intricately colored long or short sleeved tops with a long skirt and apron while men mostly wore a similar shirt, though plain colored, and plain pants with boots. The young girls and boys alike were dressed pretty much the same in a top, shorts, and shoes. It reminded Alfred strongly of Europe when he'd lived there and later when he and Arthur first moved to America.

With so many people wandering around and talking and going about their day, Alfred didn't see how Arthur could navigate through the throng, but he seemed to know exactly where he was going. Not very many minutes passed before Arthur came to a stop in front of a large Asian-style building. There was architecture from more than one Asian nation so it was hard to determine the building's purpose, if it was a house or a shop of some kind. Arthur walked up the nicely trimmed pathway lined by ponds with an abundance of foliage to the sliding door entrance. He opened it and stepped in side, everyone else following behind.

The inside was decorated even more confusedly than the outside. From what Alfred had seen of the Asian countries he'd visited, most of the decorations were Chinese but a good number were Japanese and Korean. As soon as everyone was standing inside the building, a _swish!_ was heard and Arthur froze. Slowly, he turned to the knife embedded in the wall next to him.

"What's this? You don't visit for how long and yet you bring all these guests?"

They turned their attention to a short man by the stairs, hair a dark brown and eyes a very light brown, almost looking yellow from where they stood. He walked up to them and Arthur laughed nervously and yanked the knife from the wall. "Yao, I am truly sorry for arriving so suddenly, but we need your help. Ah, you remember Francis, right?" They shook hands but Yao glared at him, so Francis kept his mouth shut. "And next to him is his son Matthew." They shook hands as well, and from how similar they felt, Yao was sure they were both created from the same alpha wolf. Interesting.

"Ah, Lovino and Bella," but Yao didn't look to happy to see Lovino though he accepted Bella's hug. Bella was a nice girl, it was a shame she had to protect such an unruly charge. He turned to the next three people but stopped, withdrawing his hand from where he'd had it poised to shake. He glared at Arthur. "You bring Demons to my home? You know how I—"

"Yes, yes, I know you don't like them, but they are trustworthy, I promise. But the reason we are here is because of my son there at the end, Alfred."

Yao turned to the boy and held his hand out. Alfred took it and Yao had the strangest feeling wash over him, one he hadn't felt in a long time. He hadn't noticed before because of the female Demon's aura over powering all the others, and the boy himself had the male Demon's aura all over him, but he was...

Glancing between Arthur and Alfred, he retracted his hand and walked towards the stairs. "Come, we have much to discuss and you have a lot of explaining to do."

* * *

After getting Yao caught up on their general dilemma, Arthur asked for his advice. As an older mage and the one who taught Arthur a lot of what he knew, Yao's knowledge was something he felt they could not succeed without.

"You have a very difficult journey ahead still. There is still much Alfred needs to know before he's ready to confront, Al, you said? And to do it in the forgotten realm itself is only going to amplify the difficultly of defeating him. He is at full power there, and though you too will be, it would be better if you could somehow lure him into this realm, or the human one."

"I can't," Alfred explained, "It has to be in the Dream Realm."

"And how do you know this?"

"I...it came to me in a dream, but I feel it's the right thing to do." Well, Yao couldn't really argue against that, could he? If the Angel dreamt it, there must be an importance to it.

"So you say the problem at the moment is learning how to exorcise a Demon?"

"Yes," Arthur affirmed, "I know how mages and even other Demons would go about it, but Angels always were secretive. I was hoping that, if we managed to get to Heaven, the Divine would help us."

Yao sighed. "That is a huge risk you're taking. The Divine are proud, even more so now that they are not under another. But I have not seen them in a long time, so to my knowledge, they haven't damaged the order too much, though I can venture a guess as to how things have changed there. There is also the problem of getting to Heaven itself. With Alfred, you shouldn't have a problem getting past the Guardians, and the Sprites will side with him, but as to how you are going to convince the Divine to help you, you're on your own. Perhaps fate will be on your side and send you a Divine who has not fallen to their pride."

"Do you know of anyway to get to Heaven? Only two of our group can fly, and one is a Demon. The Guardians might mistake her to be chasing him, and attack her."

Yao hummed and took a sip of his tea. "I will have to do some research, and I expect you to do the same. But it might take some time. Do you have a place to stay?"

Before Arthur could say anything, Katyusha politely cut in. "Yes, I have a residence here that we can stay at."

"In that case..." Yao stood up and went over to a desk in the room, rifling through it until he pulled out two rocks. "Take this," he handed a rock to Arthur, "so we can communicate. Do you still know how to work it?"

"Yes," Arthur affirmed, inspecting the rock before putting it in his bag. If he or Yao discovered something useful, all they had to do was channel magic into the rock and its partner would start vibrating, letting the other know when their presence was needed. Like a very primitive, magical cell phone.

After declining dinner and assuring Yao he would "call" at the first indicator he'd found something, Arthur lead everyone out of Yao's house. Turning to Katyusha, he stifled a yawn, as it was getting quite late. "Alright, would you kindly lead us to your house?"

"I can do much better than that," Katyusha said, walking over to Arthur, Francis, and Matthew. "Hold hands."

They did and she held her hand out for Arthur and Matthew's unoccupied hands, and when they took hers, she disappeared, taking the three blonds with her.

"Where'd they go?" Alfred asked. Ivan turned to him and grasped his hand, saying "Same place we are." He saw Katyusha appear between Lovino and Bella, holding their shoulders as she disappeared again, though this time Ivan followed her.

Alfred shut his eyes at the dizzy spell from the quick transportation. Like the first time Ivan had done this, he felt different sensations ranging from wind blowing past him at a quick speed to his heart beating hard in his chest and loudly in his ears. When he felt solid ground beneath his feet, he stumbled slightly but Ivan's hands on his arms steadied him. "Sorry, but that is such a trip. Do you feel anything doing that?"

"I am familiar with the feeling by now," Ivan said amused, "But I know what you're talking about."

A few seconds later Katyusha appeared with Lovino and Bella. Alfred observed the house he was standing in now, more specifically the living room. It was grand, with lots of space and ornate decorations on the walls. The furniture looked very old, and the windows were closed, making the room dark and giving the illusion of being later than it really was. Arthur, Francis, and Matthew were around the room, each in a different part inspecting something.

Katyusha clapped her hands together. "Is anyone hungry? I recently stocked the kitchen in anticipation of our staying here. I will be happy to cook us some dinner." Everyone agreed that dinner would be wonderful, and Bella, and surprisingly Francis, offered to help her in the kitchen. Katyusha eagerly accepted their help, as Bella was a very interesting and charming young woman to talk to, and if Matthew got his cooking prowess from Francis then his help would only add to dinner.

As the three walked towards the kitchen, Katyusha in the lead, Ivan offered to show everyone their rooms. The house was big, more like a mansion then anything, and had plenty of spare bedrooms. He settled everyone on the first floor, just for convenience. Katyusha's room was on the second floor, as was the room Ivan usually used though, so he told Alfred he'd have to wait to see the room he was staying in to put his stuff down. He supposed it wouldn't hurt to sleep in one of the guest bedrooms, but he was kind of attached to his bedroom here and it would just feel weird sleeping on the first floor anyway.

He showed Arthur to a room, then offered Matthew the one next to it, but he'd been adamant about not having a room anywhere near his fathers.

"You know how weird that would be? I mean, I know we're on this mission to kill Alfred's crazy double, but my dad has a lot of trouble keeping his libido down, even in stressful situations. Actually, especially in stressful situations." He'd shivered. "No thank you."

So Ivan showed him a room at the other end of the hall entirely, and while he probably didn't need a room so far away Matthew claimed it all the same.

He lead Lovino to a room about in the middle of Arthur and Francis's and Matthew's rooms, a little closer to Matthew's, but he paused in front of the door. "Are you going to share a room with Bella? Because I'm pretty sure there's a room around here somewhere with two beds." Lovino had looked at him like he was stupid or already supposed to know the answer, but as _Lovino_ should know he was the only seer around and Ivan had no idea his and Bella's relationship, so how was he to know?

"Separate rooms will be fine," he'd ground out, then stepped into the room and slammed the door in their faces. Alfred and Ivan turned to each other, and Ivan shrugged, taking Alfred's hand and leading him up the stairs to his—now their—room. Alfred sat on the bed with his bag in his lap, eyes roaming over all the room had to offer. It was different from what he'd seen of the guest bedrooms. There were pictures along the walls, small trinkets here or there. Overall it felt more lived in than the spares. "I'm guessing this is your room?" It made sense that Katyusha and Ivan would have their own rooms in her house, but the thought had slipped Alfred's mind, and he'd been sure they would just stay on the floor below with everyone else.

"Yes, it just doesn't feel right sleeping somewhere else after staying here for so long. I've had this room for...for a very long time, if I think about. Hundreds of years at least."

"I always wished I could have a permanent home somewhere, ya know? But Arthur always made us move every couple of years, and even though I knew—know—that it's necessary, it still sucks." He yawned then and Ivan came over to sit next to him. "Why don't you rest. I'll come get you when dinner's ready."

"Yeah, okay. That sounds good." He fell back on the bed, not bothering to get beneath the covers for his quick nap. Ivan patted his leg before getting up to go to the kitchen.

* * *

_Alfred looked around the field he was in. There were no flowers this time, only grass—a lot of it. Rolling hills stretched out in front of him, and if he turned they'd go on in every direction. There were a few clouds but not enough to block the warmth of the sun as it beat down on him, and the wind made the hills of grass look to be swaying with it._

_He looked left and right, waiting for something to happen or someone to appear. Stumped, he turned around and saw a tree which definitely hadn't been there before. It was a little far away, but he didn't mind the walk. As he got closer he could see two chairs and a table in the shade._

_When he reached the table he paused and looked around again, but he was still alone. Shrugging, he sat in one of the chairs, whistling. A minute passed, then two, and Alfred looked under the table for something. He nearly jumped out of the chair when he straightened back up._

_Ivan was sitting across from him._

"_Dude, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" He exclaimed, putting a hand to his chest. He wondered briefly where the man had been._

"_Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. It's been a while since we've met here, hasn't it? It feels like it. I'm sorry about rushing you out of your dream last time but if Al found you here...you don't want him to."_

"_It's fine, I don't mind. I mean, I can understand why you did it. We've been so busy though, and usually when I fall asleep I'm dead tired. I'm only taking a nap right now, until dinner's ready. We finally have a plan but there are some complications." He sighed, placing an elbow on the table so he could rest his head in his palm. "Seems like nothing's going to be easy."_

"_Not if you think like that. There's always a bright side, even if it's shrouded in darkness. I know you will succeed at freeing him. I have confidence that you will." Ivan smiled at him. "Would you like to play a game?"_

"_What kind of game?" Alfred asked, perking up. A chess board appeared on the table suddenly, the white pieces on his side._

"_I trust you know how to play?"_

"_Yeah but I'm not the best. I could never beat Arthur at it."_

"_Well if you care to learn more about the game you should ask your Ivan. If he's anything like me he should know how to play very well."_

"_Oh?" Alfred teased, "Are you saying you're a pro at the game?"_

"_I can count the number of times I've been beaten on one hand. Yes I suppose I am something of an expert at chess."_

"_Well let's see it then."_

_It only took a few minutes for Alfred to lose, but he wasn't one to go down without a challenge. They played again, though with the same result. Another game and Alfred lasted longer, but eventually lost. Determined now to at least make the game difficult for Ivan, Alfred demanded game after game, lasting longer and longer as he started grasping techniques to block his opponent, but Ivan proved too good at the game. Cursing, he had half a mind to flip the game board over and storm off like a petulant child, but he was better than that and so remained seated._

_Sighing, he sat back in his chair as Ivan chuckled and rearranged the pieces. "You've gotten better, and I know if you keep practicing you'll beat me or your Ivan, I suppose, someday. My Alfred beat me once."_

"_Really?" Alfred asked. He made a vow to himself to beat Ivan, which one didn't matter. If Al could do it then so could he._

_They played on, though this time Ivan inquired after Alfred's plans and what they were going to do to stop Al. Alfred explained their dilemma getting to Heaven and learning how Angels exorcise Demons._

"_As far as I can tell both Arthur and Yao don't yet know of a way to get there, or even what to do when we're there. Arthur's hoping the Divines will help but—what's wrong?"_

_Ivan looked worried about something. "I...don't know if it is the same for your world, but the Divine's in mine were no longer residents of Heaven. They'd fallen shortly after the end of the Angelic Civil War."_

"_You mean, like, fallen as in died or...?"_

"_No, they literally fell from Heaven. Without the Angels to keep them in line they gave into their pride and could not remain in Heaven without its energy attacking them. The Guardians had never been under the Divines' power, so when they started losing their pure energy, the Guardians attack them. They didn't have a choice in the matter, but what I'm trying to say is that there might not be any Divines in Heaven when you get there."_

"_Are—Are you kidding? But what can we do then? That was our only option!" How discouraging to hear such information. Their worlds weren't the same but just thinking about sent a wave of despair over Alfred. If he couldn't figure out someway how to banish the evil from Al, not only would he die but Al would probably kill his family and friends too. And he still needed a way to get to Heaven. "How am I going to defeat Al without their help?"_

_Looking to Ivan, he saw the man staring at the tree they were under, a far off look in his eyes. Alfred looked down at he chess board._

"_I might know of a way for you to get the information you need," Ivan said, and Alfred looked back up. "If you enter the Dream Realm, you'd have free reign to any world and any time in that world. If you wanted you could go to your world when Angels lived in peace, or you could go to a different world entirely. You might be able to convince someone to help you. But I'm using 'if' because it is risky. My sister is traveling with you, correct?" Alfred nodded. "She has the ability to send you in and out of this realm, and accompany you if you wish. You might not be able to die here, but if you are injured enough in a world you will be sent back to the realm's basic plane of existence. And of course there is the issue of Al. He could find you, and if that happens he wouldn't hesitate to take what he wants. Even if he's ready for a big showdown like he expects, he wouldn't let the opportunity pass, especially if he figured out what you were after. I could distract him for the time you need and try to block your presence from reaching us, but my energy has been drained so much that my magic has limitations. I would only be able to hold the block for a few hours, but I will be able to distract him longer, even if I have to play nice."_

_Ivan's plan made sense, but were the risks worth it? Alfred would have to do this pretty much by himself, and sure Katyusha would be there, but it was _his_ abilities which needed furthering. If he screwed up, Al would kill him. But Ivan was willing to spend time around the person he hated most, willing to suck up to him to distract him, and Alfred knew how much Ivan missed his own Alfred. There was a lot resting on his shoulders._

"_I hadn't thought about using this place like that, but your plan makes sense. I'll think about it, but I feel it's going to be my only option. But what do I tell the others? There's no way they would believe me if I said I learned all this from a dream, even if it's true. I'd had to have talked with someone, but if I tell them it was you who mentioned it they might think it a trap, but I know how much you want to help me and see me succeed. What do I do?"_

_Ivan was quiet for a bit. "If you can, try and convince them that I mean no harm. Tell them we've already met in your dreams before and that you are obviously not dead. I could have killed you a long time ago but I didn't, because I don't want to see you fail, you're right. Whenever and whatever you decide to tell them, you have to make them understand our agreement. If you must, tell them you have no interest in killing Al but only in dispelling the darkness from him, so he returns to being normal again. But there is a chance he could end up dying, so say that as well."_

_Alfred was about to respond but the world around them started shaking in little tremors. For a second Alfred thought it was Al again, but Ivan seemed relaxed, if a bit disappointed. "Someone outside is trying to rouse you. We will have to talk the next time we meet, whenever that may be."_

_Ivan and everything around Alfred faded away as his vision went black._


	24. Chapter 24

Alfred walked through the halls towards the library. After being woken up by Ivan, they'd walked to the kitchen. Katyusha was almost done with the soup, she'd told them kindly, so Alfred asked where his father was, eager to tell him everything he'd learned in his dream. Only Matthew had known, stating the last he'd seen of the man was in the library. Ivan told him the instructions on how to get there and now he was in front of the doors, nervousness starting to mingle with his excitement.

His plan would work, he knew it, but would Arthur? Would Arthur accept his plan or question his methods of devising it, and would he be alright with the answer? Having known Arthur all his life, Alfred was sure Arthur would disapprove of using the "enemy" for help. But he also knew that his puppy dog face was nigh irresistible, and Arthur almost always succumbed to it, so he had that on the back burner and would readily pull it on the man if he needed to.

Arthur just _had_ to understand that Vanya wanted what they wanted, that he wasn't like Al and wanted the crazed man gone as much as anyone. He would even risk his lover's life if it meant destroying Al, wasn't that enough evidence to prove Vanya's allegiance? Just thinking about being in Vanya's shoes caused icy hands to squeeze at his heart.

He psyched himself up as best he could and readied himself for a headache inducing argument with a very stubborn man.

Pushing the door open slightly, he peeked in to spot Arthur standing in front of a book case, presumably reading the titles. Alfred took one last deep breath and walked into the room, heading straight for Arthur.

"Dad? Can I talk to you?"

Arthur turned around, not seeming to notice the slight anxious tone Alfred's words displayed(though Alfred did and he proceeded to mentally curse himself out).

"Of course Alfred, you know you can always talk to me." Arthur motioned to some chairs and they sat down, Arthur relaxed but Alfred fidgety no matter how calm he told himself to be. "What's on your mind?"

Alfred was quickly realizing that he hadn't thought out how this conversation might go. How did he even start? Nervousness creeping back on him, he tapped absentmindedly at the cushion. "I...was wondering if you've started looking into possible ways to get to Heaven?"

Arthur stared at him, completely serious in a way that threw Alfred's thoughts in a jumble. He was used to Arthur's more relaxed, kinda angry attitude about everything. Serious Arthur was someone Alfred didn't know that well.

"I have, I've been at it since we arrived earlier. Katyusha has an impressive array of books about Angels and Angel lore, even a few about Angels and Demons together. I have not had the time to go over all of them extensively, obviously, but I've skimmed a number of them and they appear promising." Arthur had not stopped his intense staring and it was making Alfred more antsy, like he was just a little kid again, guilty about something stupid he'd try to lie his way out of. It wasn't helping his determination to say what he knew _needed_ to be said.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, I mean, I know I'm new to all of this," he admitted, "So I don't know if this is normal, but I've been having...dreams...that could possibly help us."

Arthur raised a brow. "Dreams."

"...Yeah."

"And you want to speculate based on those dreams. Do you honestly believe they are helpful? Not to be rude, don't misunderstand me, but you should know your dreams can't be taken as the truth. If I recall correctly, you've mentioned gaining knowledge from your dreams before, but we can't take any chances with something like this. With your connection to our enemy they could easily manipulate anything you see while in that state."

He felt a crushing sensation in his chest at that. He hadn't thought about his nightmare in awhile, but it made sense that if Al could cause him to see the nightmare practically every night, it wouldn't be so farfetched to think he could still be doing something. But Alfred knew that it wasn't Al effecting his dreams, but Vanya. He hadn't begun explaining things yet and already Arthur was having doubts.

"I—I...do, realize that. But will you just hear me out? Please, just think about what I have to tell you." He wasn't doing the puppy dog look, no, he was doing the kicked puppy look, like all the happiness in the world was gone and he had no idea why. He looked absolutely devastated at what Arthur was saying and the man could see it clearly, taken aback at how desperate his son sounded and looked.

"Alright, if it is so important I will consider it."

"Thank you," Alfred breathed. He gathered his thoughts to resemble a somewhat coherent line and began. "Okay, so these dreams are real, I know it. I know you think dreams aren't real but come on, Al and V—the other Ivan? They turned out to be very real. But since I'm an Angel there has to be something about dreams that make them special, right? Otherwise why would I be having such informative dreams? You following?"

Arthur nodded, "Yes, and you do make a point, Angels have been known to have powerful dreams."

"Right, so I recently found out some information that could be very useful to us. I learned...that in Al and Ivan's world, the Divines had fallen from Heaven, too consumed by their pride with the Angels gone. Our worlds are pretty similar, so what if that's already happened here? What if there are no Divines in Heaven? Didn't Yao say he hadn't seen a Divine for a long time, that he didn't know if they were still there?" Like when Vanya had told him, Arthur looked shocked.

"I didn't think about that," Arthur muttered, mostly to himself but loud enough that Alfred heard. "It's entirely possible that has already happened, and we'd have no way of knowing until we arrived at Heaven ourselves."

"Yeah, I was just as surprised. If it's true, there won't be anything we can do to stop Al, right?"

"I suppose so," Arthur said, suspicious. "What do you mean you were just as surprised? How did you find that out?"

Alfred bit his lip, debating on whether it would be beneficial to tell Arthur about Vanya now or later. "Trust me, I'll explain in a bit, okay? There's something else we should think about."

Arthur gestured for him to go on.

"Well, there might be a way to talk to actual Angels, in the flesh...kinda. We can use the Dream Realm. Don't you see? Katyusha can take me there and we can find a world where the Angels are still alive. We can ask them for help in teaching me about exorcising Demons using angelic energy."

Arthur was no longer staring at him but lost in contemplation as he gazed at the large numbers of books lining the walls. His brow was knit and Alfred could feel the apprehension radiating off him. It worried him too, that maybe Arthur wouldn't accept his idea, because for a moment it had appeared Arthur would go along with it, but he should have known it wouldn't be that easy.

"That is a good idea, I admit. It would certainly eliminate our need to go to our own Heaven and it would provide you with a better instructor, but it's dangerous; too dangerous. I don't think we should risk it."

There it was, and his whole being felt stiff and frozen, dread swirling through him, but he wouldn't back down now. "Oh come on!" He exclaimed, standing up and drawing Arthur's startled gaze. "I'm not a kid any more Arthur. I haven't been one for a long time. This could be our only chance and you want to pass it by because you think it's _dangerous_? What do you think's going to happen when I face Al huh? Do you think we're going to talk out our differences like preteen girls at a slumber party?"

"No—"

"Do you think this will be any more dangerous than going to the Dream Realm to face Al as a group? Or is it because you don't trust me to look after myself?"

"No—!"

"Nothing's going to happen. It doesn't have to be just me and Katyusha, and Al will be occupied when we decide to act. He won't bother us while we're there, I can assure you. Why can't you trust me!?"

"Alfred please, calm down!" Arthur urged, standing up as well and holding his hands out in a non-threatening manner. "Calm down and we can talk about this. I do trust you, but things go wrong—"

"I just told you nothing will happen, I can guarantee that. We go in, I learn what I need to, we get out, regroup, and face Al. It's not rocket science!"

"Alfred! Listen to me!"

They stared at each other, Alfred breathing harder from his rant. Arthur sat down slowly and Alfred mimicked him, hands clamping around the chair's arm and squeezing so hard the wood groaned.

"I know it seems easy now, but something can always happen. I'm not saying it will," he said quickly, "but there is the possibility." When Alfred didn't respond with another yell, Arthur relaxed some. "Alright, how did you learn all this?"

He deflated a bit, anger ebbing at the prospect of revealing his informant. "Look," he sighed, leaning back and closing his eyes. "You have to understand—like, you _have to_, okay? I know all of this because...of...Ivan..." he trailed off lamely, mumbling by the end. Arthur leaned forward a bit. "What was that?"

"I said because of Ivan alright?"

"Ivan?"

Arthur was perplexed, because what did the half-Demon have to do with what they were discussing?

"Yeah, you know, the other one?"

Realization struck, then worry and anger. "What? You've been talking with him? For how long?"

"Well, yeah. He's got a good reason for helping me and I trust him."

"But Alfred—" He cut himself off, agitated enough to force himself up and pace about the chairs. "Do you realize how terrible a move it is to mingle with our enemy? The ones who want you dead? Alfred, this is bad, you can't trust him, he's in league with Al, he could easily be manipulating you!" Of all the stupid things Alfred had done, this one was by far one of the dumbest. Accepting the help of someone who wanted you dead? Alfred must have lost his mind. Arthur would not let this insanity continue on.

"How would you know?" Alfred said, frowning. Vanya was a great guy, very dedicated. He went through hell to be by his lover's side, and Arthur had the guts to tell him the guy couldn't be trusted. Arthur wasn't there, Arthur hadn't seen the painful look on Vanya's face as he recounted the story of how everything fell apart in his life. Arthur didn't know anything this time and Alfred wouldn't let his father treat him like a child. Not anymore.

"He's been nothing but helpful. He has a good reason to help me, he wants Al gone like we do!"

"Oh you don't know that," Arthur hissed. "Why would he want his past lover gone?"

"Why do you think! He's been corrupted; Ivan wants him normal again."

Arthur opened his mouth but didn't say anything, eventually closing it when he had nothing to counter with. Alfred made sense, as he'd been doing this whole conversation. Ivan and Alfred had only known each other for about two and a half months now, yet they were as close as he and Francis, and they'd been together for years. It wouldn't be too out there to think that, just maybe, the other Ivan wasn't happy about losing his Alfred.

If that Ivan _was_ on their side, then Alfred's plan would be sure to work, but Arthur couldn't just throw his suspicions and worries out the window and accept him. He remembered when Ivan had protected Al, despite not favoring him. There was something else going on between them because of the corruption, but Arthur was drawing a blank as to what it could be.

"Alfred, I want to believe you on this, truly I do, but there's just too many unpredictable variables and happenings that could go wrong. I'm sorry lad."

Alfred didn't get the chance to make a vehement denial of Arthur's words as the door opened and Matthew poked his head in. "Dinner's ready...Is something wrong?" he said, noticing how both men looked tired and distressed. Alfred looked sad about something, while Arthur seemed regretful.

"No, everything's fine Matthew. We'll be there in a bit, just give us a moment," Arthur asked politely. Matthew nodded once and left, the door slightly ajar now.

Arthur sighed as he turned to Alfred, only to see the man walking towards the door. "Wait, Alfred—I don't want this to come between us. You said I have to understand you but you must understand where I'm coming from as well. I'm your father Alfred, I only want you to be happy and safe." Alfred paused in front of the door, not making any move to open it. He let Arthur's words ring through his head and turned around. "I know dad. You're the best."

Arthur joined him at the door and together they walked to the dining room, silence between them. But that was fine, because it allowed Alfred to think better. He was going to do this thing with or without Arthur's approval. He knew he was right, all he had to do was convince Katyusha his way was the only way. She seemed easy enough to manipulate, all he had to do was pout cutely and she'd probably start crying over his cuteness and feel guilty about denying him something. It was something he knew could easily be taken advantage of, and though he felt guilty just thinking it, it had to be done.

Dinner was a quiet and tense affair, as Alfred, who normally rattled on about anything that popped into his mind, was not talking at all, instead staring thoughtfully at his food. All conversations passed to him would be met with a single sentence answer or just a nod of his head, so eventually it died out. When it was over(to everyone's relief)Alfred took the time to make sure he and Ivan weren't needed in the kitchen before grabbing the taller's hand and pulling him to their room.

"Is something wrong Alfred? You seem tense about something, you hardly spoke at all at dinner." You'd have to be blind not to see how Alfred's behavior was abnormal, and Ivan was the furthest thing from blind. When Alfred and Arthur had walked into the room he could tell something had happened between them, with how neither really spoke or looked at each other. Ivan didn't like when Alfred was down about something, because Alfred's smiles and laughs and general exuberance about life made Ivan's heart feel warm and light, made him feel like something other than a creature of Hell. He never wanted to see that side of Alfred fade.

"Arthur's just...he doesn't understand. I can take care of myself, I'm not a little kid. He's willing to pass up what might be our only chance of success because he doesn't want to take a risk." Alfred loved his father, but sometimes the man was so stubborn that Alfred couldn't help but feel irritated by it. Yes, things were different now that he knew the truth, but Arthur couldn't baby him forever and it was time the man realized that.

"And what would that be?" Ivan asked. Alfred looked at him, weighing the pros and cons of telling him. Ivan might go along with it, but he'd probably dislike Alfred being with the other Ivan more than Arthur had, considering it was a different version of himself. Maybe he could get away with not mentioning that...

"There might not be any Divines in Heaven right now. They could have already fallen due to their pride, which means we'd have no way of defeating Al the way he needs to be defeated. I know what I have to do but I don't know how to do it. But there is a way. We could use the Dream Realm to find Angels when they are still alive, and preferably not trying to kill each other, now that I think about it. I also know we can't die in that Realm, right? So what's there to risk?" Alfred sat down on the bed, sighing and staring at the floor.

Ivan did not know Divines could fall from Heaven, but if Angels could it made sense any of the other three could as well. And his plan made sense, Ivan didn't see why Arthur would disapprove. There was, however, one thing wrong with Alfred's reasoning.

Sitting down next to him, Ivan said, "You can die there."

"What?" Alfred said, head whipping up to stare incredulously at him. "But..."

"It is not easy, but it is possible. Only a Demon can kill there, anything else would only cause damage. Al could very much kill you or any of us if we confront him in that Realm."

Alfred was absolutely shocked to hear that. Had Vanya lied to him? Or maybe just tried to make it seem like he had a chance? He didn't want to believe Ivan's words but he didn't know who to trust more. Ugh, why did they have to be the same person dammit!

"I feel like I'm missing something," Ivan said. "What do you plan on doing when you face him?" It had been bothering him for a while, because Alfred, as far as he knew, couldn't kill in that Realm but Al and his counterpart could, so there must be something else Alfred was going to do. "Do you plan on killing them?"

"No, I—My plan is to fix Al, you know, turn him back to normal."

"And then...?"

"And then what? That's it. I don't want to kill them, I only want to help them."

"...what? How did you even get that in your head?"

All this time and Alfred didn't even plan on getting rid of them? It was frustrating to think all this would be for nothing. Who's to say what happened once wouldn't happen again?

"Look Ivan," Alfred sighed, leaning against him. "I know this is a lot to take in and even more to agree to, but I want to know that you'll back me up. This could be our only chance to free Alfred from his curse. Wouldn't you want me to be freed from that?" He looked up to meet Ivan's gaze.

Yes. He would do anything to free Alfred from that fate. He noticed how Alfred called Al and wondered if there was a stronger connection between them than anyone realized. He knew Al could influence dreams, being in that Realm and all, but they were practically the same person, so they must have a greater connection. And Al was using that to get what he wanted, totally disregarding everything else. He would have like Alfred to have been ready to kill the man, but as long as Al was stopped, he could live with it.

Wrapping an arm around Alfred's back, he drew him in closer as he fell back on the bed, laying side by side with the Angel. Alfred hummed and threw an arm across his stomach.

"I will always be on your side, Alfred. If you think this is our only hope, I'll take your word for it. As long as I get to accompany you." Katyusha was very capable of protecting Alfred if need be, and he would trust his sister with his life, but it wasn't his life being risked, it was Alfred's, and he wouldn't be comfortable letting Alfred enter a realm occupied by the very person who wanted to kill him without his presence.

Alfred breathed a sigh of relief, hugging Ivan tightly. He was so glad Ivan didn't bother to ask specifics, and though he hadn't originally planned on telling Ivan or having him join him and Katyusha, now it was obvious his plan would only make sense with him. Alfred could protect himself, he knew it and made sure everyone else did, but Ivan had proved he would _kill_ if it meant his safety. Things between them had progressed so quickly in such a good way, it was hard thinking back four, five months ago and not imagining Ivan there with him without a deep sadness swallowing him whole, like a part of himself had been missing all his life only to be found in the most unlikely of people.

"I wish dad saw it like you do. He just doesn't get that I can do this; I don't want to go behind his back but it's the only way we're going to be able to pull this off." He buried his face in the side of Ivan's shoulder, voice taking on a whining quality. Arthur was just so infuriating at times.

"You know it's only because he loves you and wants you safe, right? You shouldn't be too hard on him." Ivan rubbed Alfred's back in a soothing manner.

"I knoooow," Alfred groaned, turning over to lay on his back and stare up at the ceiling. "He's always been like that, it doesn't bother me or anything I just...can't he see I'm an adult, that I've been one for _years_?"

"Well now you know why he was, and is still, so protective."

Alfred turned his head to look at him. "Whaddya mean?"

"Think about it," Ivan said, rolling onto his side and propping his head up with his hand. "He knew what you were all your life. He had to be careful about what he could do around you magic-wise, and he knew he'd eventually have to tell you somehow, so that must have been stressful. He's only doing what he knows how to do well, because he's been doing it for hundreds of years."

"I guess so..." Alfred mumbled, looking down and playing with some loose thread on Ivan's shirt. He wanted to be mad at his father but with Ivan's words he saw the side of Arthur that truly did only want him to be safe. It made him feels ten times guiltier for what he was going to do.

"Man, why'd you have to say that, now I feel bad for going behind his back," Alfred complained, glaring weakly. Ivan chuckled and leaned forward to kiss him slowly. Alfred's hand that was at the bottom of Ivan's shirt slid over to wrap around his back and pull them closer. Ivan smiled against his lips and rolled onto his back, bringing Alfred to rest on top of him. Alfred broke the kiss and pulled back some. "So you're with me? For sure?"

"Yes, Alfred, I will go along with your plan. Though, how will we get by Al? Won't he be waiting for you to enter?"

"He'll be distracted whenever we decide to go."

"And how do you know this?"

Alfred bit his lip like he did when Arthur had asked about Vanya. Ivan had already accepted his idea, but how would he feel about learning Alfred trusting his doppelganger? He didn't want Ivan to suddenly back out after already agreeing, especially since he wouldn't be trusting Alfred's judgment.

"Because...you trust me?" And he added a little smile. Ivan stared at him then closed his eyes and shook his head, sighing. "Alright Alfred, as long as you're sure, absolutely sure about this, I won't ask the details."

Alfred smiled for real this time, hugging Ivan as best he could still atop him. "Thank you! And you don't have to worry, everything will be a piece of cake."

* * *

Having just spoken with Arthur, Alfred wanted to wait a day or two before heading out. Arthur spent all his time in the library pouring over book after book but having no luck. Since they couldn't really do anything without the knowledge and Yao hadn't contacted them at all, Katyusha had offered to tour them around the area. She mentioned a nearby spring, and since it was hot outside(a welcome relief from the chill of winter in the Human Realm)Alfred wanted to go swimming. Bella and Katyusha had readily agreed, and Matthew liked the idea as well, though Francis and Lovino turned down the offer to accompany them. Francis wanted to stay with Arthur and make sure the man didn't run himself into the ground, while Lovino outright stated he didn't think he'd be able to stand being around them for more than ten minutes. Bella had tried her best to convince him to reconsider, but lately Lovino had been feeling ill at ease and a strange combination of worry and frustration, and was too distracted.

By midday Alfred, Ivan, Katyusha, Bella, and Matthew were getting ready to go. Alfred hadn't known but Katyusha and Ivan had told everyone that since it was warmer in the Medium they might want to bring swimsuits just in case. There wasn't that high of a chance they'd use them but Katyusha had been thinking more along the lines of after their battle with Al, when they were recuperating. No one had argued(except Lovino but Bella had made sure he cooperated)so they all had packed bathing suits. Lucky they did too, since they would be getting the chance to use them.

So Alfred had been surprised when he saw his swim trunks in his enchanted bag, but Ivan only offered a shrug when he got a questioning glance. While changing he thought about how much his life had changed in just a few short months. Three months ago he was serving alcohol to drunks and now he was on a crazy quest like mission to help fix the broken relationship of a parallel version of himself and his boyfriend. And changing, a little bit ago Alfred would be embarrassed taking off his clothes around other people, but around Ivan it felt normal. It boggled his mind and hurt his brain if he thought about it too hard, so he let his thoughts drift to other things, like applying sunblock, which Ivan had also thrown into his bag.

He was applying the slick white block to his arms and chest, bottle resting on the table behind him, when he heard it click open and figured Ivan was using it for himself, because the guy was super pale, he never even saw the sun or something. But he felt a looming presence just before two cold hands started rubbing up and down his back, making him jump.

"Jeez, you could have warned me man! That's stuff's freezing!"

"Oh don't be such a baby, it is not that bad."

"Says you," Alfred muttered, but Ivan, with his better-than-human hearing, caught it and sharply pinched Alfred's side. "Ow!"

"Oops, sorry," Ivan said, smile evident in his voice. Alfred huffed and finished rubbing the sunblock into the skin of his arms. Silence prevailed between them comfortably, until Ivan broke it.

"You know, there is something I've been meaning to ask you," he started, trailing a finger down the curve of Alfred's spine, causing the man to shiver, goosebumps raising along his skin.

"Oh?"

"Yes. It's about your markings. I was wondering if you could show them to me. They are unique and very fascinating." He removed all touch.

"Oh, sure. If you want to see them no problem." Alfred called forth his energy and let it consume him, markings flaring to life and filling the room with a very soft blue glow. Ivan traced them with his eyes first, noticing that there was indeed a sun on his back, as well as the two simple wings he'd seen before but were unsure of. What he hadn't noticed before was a small solid circle at the nape of his neck, and reaching up he cupped the side of Alfred's neck, thumb hovering above the small glowing circle. Slowly, he lowered his thumb until it was pressing completely over the mark.

It was warm but otherwise felt like skin, which was sort of a disappointment but at least nothing bad had happened.

A part of him was trying to claw its way to the surface, the part he was getting better and better at smothering. The Demon part, without human influence, was screeching and raging at wasting an opportunity like this. The Angel's back was turned, he was defenseless, kill him now! But Ivan did not spare that side of him more than a brief thought before pushing it to the back of his mind and locking it up tight.

Instead he mirrored his hand with his other one and slid his hands down Alfred's back, enjoying the deep and controlled breath Alfred sucked in.

"They are something, are they not? I've never seen anything like it."

"Yeah, I think they look totally badass, make me look threatening, ya know?

"Of course," Ivan agreed. Alfred turned around and wrapped his arms around Ivan's shoulders, one hand coming to rest in his pale hair and rubbing gently just above his ear. "You should show me some of your Demon features. I'd like to see how you look."

"Only if you let your wings out," Ivan returned, smirking. He wondered if he could get Alfred to ride him with his wings out. Ivan would delight in seeing them flutter and stretched with Alfred's movements.

"Deal," Alfred said lowly, leaning forward to kiss him. They stayed locked in a chaste kiss until Katyusha yelled for them to hurry up from downstairs, as they were leaving soon.

Hand in hand they walked towards the main hall, where everyone else was already waiting to go. The walk wasn't short, but it wasn't long either. It gave them, Alfred and Matthew in particular, time to observe their unfamiliar surroundings. The Medium had strange plants and animals due to the abundance of magic in the air. Large flowers would turn to always face them when they walked by, like sunflowers watching the sun.

Once they arrived the whole day was spent relaxed, no worry or stress about the future bothering them. Alfred challenged Matthew to brotherly competitions, while Ivan, Katyusha, and Bella talked at the side, though Ivan also contented himself by watching the two brothers, especially Alfred because the man was half-naked and wet and out of breath most of the time and Ivan would never pass up seeing that.

Time flew by, the sun starting to dip beneath the horizon, oranges and pinks painted across the sky. Thoroughly exhausted yet happy, everyone started making their way back to the manor. Matthew and Bella walked next to each other, chatting idly, while Alfred walked next to Katyusha and Ivan. He nudged Ivan's side.

When Ivan looked down at him, he leaned over to whisper, "We should ask Katyusha now, what do ya think?"

Ivan nodded, so Alfred cleared his throat and tried to make his voice quieter than usual. "Katyusha? Can I ask you something?"

"Of course Alfred," she said, chipper as she walked with a bounce to her step.

"Well, actually its kind of a serious matter. I, well we, me and Ivan, we need your help."

"What for?" Katyusha asked concerned, brows drawing together in worry. If it was a serious matter as Alfred has said and he needed help, Katyusha would gladly assist her little Angel.

"I was wondering if you'd take us to the Dream Realm."

"The Dream Realm? Why would you need to go there?"

"I..." he looked ahead at Matthew and Bella, and slowed his pace some, Ivan matching his steps and Katyusha only noticing when she got a little ahead. Keeping his voice low, Alfred explained to her his plan. "Recently I've found out that, no matter what Arthur and Yao find out, there might not be any Divines in Heaven. The only way we would be able to help me would be to go to the Dream Realm and find a time where the Angels are still alive and have one of them show me how to use my energy to do what I need to. But only a Demon can go there, right? So we need you to take us there. Will you?"

He added a pout and made a face, eyes wide and looking like tears were about to spill over. Katyusha looked perturbed by his face, like it was hurting her to see him so sad looking.

"Oh, of course I'll help you!" She said, startling Alfred when she hugged him tightly. He flailed, looking to Ivan but Ivan just smiled, already knowing he wasn't strong enough to break her hold. She pulled back anyway.

"Who will be going, and when will we be going? I assume you've sorted everything out with Arthur and Francis correct?"

"Er, well, actually just us three."

"Just...us?"

"Yeah, Arthur...didn't take to the plan like I'd hoped he would. Basically he thinks it's too dangerous to go."

"Oh," she murmured, looking unsure. "I don't know if I'm comfortable—"

"Sister," Ivan interrupted, "Alfred has made a solid point to Arthur yet he has refused. Even if there were Divines in Heaven right now, we would still need to find a way to get there and get past the guardians of Heaven's Gate. Alfred's plan solves both those problems and allows him to speak with an actual Angel. This is the only way, and only you can take us there." Katyusha was a sweet girl, she always wanted to make people happy. But she could be so hopelessly aligned with "good" that she forgot sometimes she was a Demon and therefore it was okay to act like it. She would not be blamed for agreeing to this, as it was he and Alfred who coerced her, yet she was still hesitating. Ivan often found that stating the problem bluntly was the only way to get her to agree to something she'd call devious.

"I can see how that does make sense..." she trailed off, thinking about it. She didn't think long with the combined looks Alfred and Ivan were giving her; they were so cute!

"Alright, I'll help you."

"Yes! Thank you so much!" Alfred exclaimed, hugging Katyusha this time. She smile and hugged him back.

At a time like this, memories from long ago resurfaced. She never forgot about that little Angel she saved all those years ago. She treasured the memories she had of him, thinking she'd never see him again. But here he was, just as happy and bubbly as he'd been as a baby, and she felt tears of happiness gathering. There was so much she still wanted to ask him.

Ivan saw her tears and frowned. "Sister, what's wrong?" He asked, rubbing her shoulder soothingly. Alfred pulled back to see what was wrong.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so happy." She wrapped one arm around Alfred and the other around her brother, hugging them both close. They looked over her shoulders at each other, smiling before hugging her back.

"Hey!"

They broke apart to look over at the voice, who turned out to be Matthew. He and Bella were stopped ahead, looking back at them questioningly. "What are you three doing?"

"N-Nothing!" Alfred called back. Katyusha let them go and they started walking again, because they'd stopped to have their little hug fest. When they caught up Alfred just shrugged at Matthew and bypassed them.

When they got back to the house Arthur was still in the library, and Francis was preparing dinner. Katyusha paused and turned to Alfred and Ivan. "We'll talk more later," she smiled and went to help Francis.

The stared at each other for a moment.

"Shower?" Ivan asked.

Alfred grinned.

* * *

Though there was no actual wind, the trees around him swayed together, moved by an unseen force. The faintest sounds of running water and birds chirping hit his ears, and something at the back of his mind tried to claw its way to the surface. Every time he visited this area of his cursed prison, a bridge would form, stars twinkling to life above him and trees manifesting from the darkness. Everything was muted, including the colors, and a low fog had settled. It bugged him that this place always appeared yet he didn't know why. It was so...peaceful, so sickening.

His subconscious was the culprit, he knew, but he didn't remember ever seeing this bridge before. His memories may have been fading, but this particular one was lost on him.

Nonetheless, he found himself walking onto that bridge, stopping at the top to lean against the cold railing. Then he'd look down at the rushing water before gazing up at the stars.

"Do you know this place?"

He could sense the man standing a few feet next to him, looking at him with a saddened expression. He didn't bother turning his head to face him.

"No."

"Then it is strange that you should be shown this," Ivan said, walking to stand next to Alfred. Alfred didn't respond immediately, instead continued looking at the stars.

"Do you?"

"Yes."

Alfred tapped his fingers against the rail, marveling how this place didn't exist yet he could feel the coldness of the metal beneath his hand.

He wasn't sure he wanted to know, but if he said so Ivan would probably tell him anyways, just to piss him off. There were things from his forgotten past that caused painful emotions to shoot through his black heart, and he hated that this man could do that to him. The lowly half-Demon was not in control, _he was_, so why did Ivan have the power to hurt him?

"Our first kiss was here."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He wanted to smile at Ivan's predictability and also punch his face in for telling him something he didn't want to hear. He wasn't like he used to be, Ivan had no right bringing this up.

"During our fourth date."

Alfred grit his teeth. It seemed no matter how many times Alfred reminded Ivan who exactly was in charge, the man couldn't put a lid on that mouth of his.

"You looked so cute with a little blush~"

He turned, eyes narrowed, to see Ivan smiling. He knew exactly what he was doing.

"I will hurt you."

Ivan laughed and Alfred wondered why he was being so buddy-buddy with him. As entertaining(and frustrating)as he found the half-Demon, last time he checked Ivan very obviously hated him. For good reason, Alfred would admit, with the way he'd played his emotions so many times in the past and all.

Ivan's laugh tapered off into a sigh and Alfred looked back up to the stars, anywhere away from Ivan, for once not in the mood to play their games. Whatever Ivan's aim was Alfred would not be tricked.

"I do not doubt it."

He could feel Ivan's eyes on him and it was making him angry, especially since he knew Ivan would be smiling that dumb smile of his. If he was smart he'd leave Alfred alone, but maybe not, since Alfred half believed Ivan was a masochist with how many times he goaded Alfred into action.

"Leave me alone," he practically snarled. "I'm not in the mood to play this game."

"I don't care."

It was said so casually Alfred was stunned at Ivan's behavior. Did he want to get hurt? Was he purposely trying to get a rise out of Alfred? If so he was doing a great job of it.

"What did you just say?" He said lowly, but Ivan only shrugged and starting walking away.

Now Alfred knew Ivan was fucking with him, because he turned his back on him.

The next thing Ivan knew, he was being shoved face first into the ground, Alfred having tackled him when his back was turned. He was so predictable sometimes. Alfred turned him over roughly onto his back, straddling his waist and placing his hands at his throat, squeezing lightly as a warning. His shredded and threadbare scarf did little to protect his neck.

"What is your problem today?" Alfred hissed, seriously contemplating beating the man within an inch of his life. Ivan only looked bored though, no fear or sadness in his eyes. "Do you want me to hurt you?"

"Maybe I do."

Alfred glared at him, unaccustomed to Ivan's behavior. He didn't know whether to take the bait or forget the interaction ever happened.

"In fact, I do want you to hurt me, kill me even. Do it."

Ivan no longer looked passive but angry, glaring back at Alfred as he asked the Dark Angel to take his life. Alfred tightened the grip his hands had on Ivan's neck, a strange feeling settling in his stomach.

"Do not doubt that I will kill you. You mean nothing to me."

"I don't think you will."

Alfred could only tighten his hands a little bit more, just enough to be uncomfortable for Ivan, before something stopped him. With the intent to just hurt, he could go as far as he wanted, but if he thought about killing he was stopped, like chains were wrapped around his body. There was a place deep inside of him that still had influence over him, the small part that still loved Ivan. As much as he _hated_ that part of him, nothing he did could bury it. He had an idea that killing Ivan for good would destroy it but it was preventing him from doing just that, so he was trapped in an endless loop of hatred. Hatred of Ivan, hatred of their situation, and hatred of himself, which fed into his hatred of Ivan.

"I'm only sparing you 'cause I need you," Alfred spat, getting off the downed half-Demon. He walked away from Ivan and the memory of his past life, just needing to be alone with his much beloved darkness.

Ivan stayed on the ground staring up at the stars, which stayed for him as they did for Alfred, since they had the same memory. And if he really focused, he could make them appear and see how the end of their date went clearly. They would stop at the top of the bridge and look up at the night sky. Alfred had placed his hand over Ivan's own on the railing, and turning toward each other, Ivan had cupped Alfred's cheek and then they'd shared their first kiss.

Ivan sighed and finally got up, desperately hoping the other Alfred made a move soon. He didn't know how long he could distract his Alfred, and if this encounter was any indicator, it was going to be difficult keeping Alfred's attention.

* * *

Dinner was less tense than the night before, if only because Arthur remained in the library, too absorbed to break concentration and lose his thought process. Francis brought him dinner and ate with him, so Alfred was more chatty than the previous night. When they were finished Alfred and Ivan stayed to help Katyusha clean the dishes so she'd get them done faster and they could talk more. But Lovino asked Alfred if he could talk to him, so Alfred followed Lovino back into the living room.

"What do you think you're doing?" Lovino demanded, rounding on him right away. For the last few days Lovino's visions of the future had been anything but reassuring. Sometimes they succeeded, sometimes they failed in their mission. One of them always died though, even if they won. There was no concrete conclusion their battle would reach, but the one thing all his visions had in common was the other Ivan changing sides. That was by far the most confusing outcome, as sometimes he'd die protecting Alfred. Other times he lived.

As far as Al's fate, there was a blank space where he was involved. Lovino didn't know what happened to Al in any of the future visions, and he had a feeling the reason was a combination of his inability to see the forgotten realm directly, and the doofus in front of him.

"What are you talking about?" Alfred asked, in a way that implied he knew exactly what Lovino wanted to hear.

"Don't play dumb with me," Lovino hissed, "I want to know what you're up to!"

"Seriously, I don't know what you want to hear because I'm not doing anything!" Alfred insisted, though he had a feeling this was going to be a losing argument for him. Lovino was too stubborn to let this go.

"That is a bold-face lie! I've seen our futures, or did you forget I could do that? Whatever you're planing is screwing with our timeline."

"Okay, fine, look. I do have a plan, but you have to trust me when I say it's the only way to win. I know Arthur's working hard to find a solution but it could take days to figure it out, while I've got an answer already. I'm not going to sit around and wait for Al to change his mind and attack us first."

"Tch, whatever." Stupid reasoning, stupid Alfred. "Just try not to get us all killed, and don't fail. You don't know some of the things I've already seen happening to us." It was unsettling to see his own death and nearly heart crushing to see Bella's.

"Lovino...you don't have to fight with us," Alfred said softly, putting his hand on Lovino's shoulder. "This is my problem, really only I should be the one to face them. If you don't want to die, just take Bella and go. It's not right for you to feel forced into risking your life for me."

In truth, he didn't want to die either, but Alfred was called out and therefore had to overcome his fears and be strong for his family. As much as he'd prefer only him going to Al, he knew that Ivan and his family, Arthur especially, would never allow it if they could stop him. But Lovino and Bella had no stakes in this, they didn't have to risk everything for Alfred.

Lovino saw a side of Alfred usually hidden by his more exuberant personality. He was, after all, hundreds of years old. Just because he acted like an overgrown child didn't mean he hadn't _seen _things, things like war and poverty and tragedy. He was being an adult right now, owning up to his responsibility and trying to protect everyone he could, just like the hero he always wanted to be growing up.

Lovino shrugged Alfred's hand off and instead placed both of his on Alfred's shoulders. "No Alfred, you underestimate how important you and the outcome is. If you should fall, Al will not only get what he wants by returning to his own world, but your family will be killed, me and Bella will be killed, Ivan and possibly Katyusha will be killed. Your survival is our survival, and it will be a sad day when the last Angel falls. I don't want that. I may not have any ties to this conflict, but I will do my best to make sure you win."

Lovino's words sent a lightness through him. Lovino was so distant at times, but he'd shown enough of himself to Alfred that Alfred was starting to see the real Lovino under his mask of general anger. Alfred surged forward and hugged him tightly, pulling back before Lovino could even register what had happened. "Thank you, Lovino, that means a lot to me. You really are a great guy after all."

Lovino bristled at that, face reddening as he processed their tender moment. "What do you mean "after all", you bastard."

Alfred laughed, patted Lovino on the back(more like broke his shoulder blade, holy hell he needed to control himself), and walked back into the kitchen. Lovino grumbled to himself as he rubbed his shoulder, small smile making its way on his face. He went off to find Bella, hoping she'd message his back since Alfred had decided to break it.

When he walked in the kitchen, everything was already cleaned up and the two siblings were sitting at the table, conversing quietly. "Ah, sorry about that guys."

"No, it's alright. Ivan was telling me more about your plan. You want to leave tonight?"

"Yeah, if it's not too much trouble I'd like to get this over with."

"That's fine, when do you want to leave."

"I...I'm not sure yet, I have to think about it a little more." Alfred wanted to leave during the night, but he still needed to tell Vanya when they were going to carry out the plan so he could distract Al. He'd need to be asleep to do that.

"Alright, well," she turned to Ivan, "when you two have reached a time call for me."

Ivan nodded and both got up, Katyusha staying in the kitchen while Ivan followed Alfred to their room. On the steps Alfred paused, turning around and looking down at Ivan. "You trust me, right?"

Ivan blinked at the question, as Alfred should have known Ivan trusted him fully by now. "Of course."

"Then...I think you should know something," Alfred said. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat, because he didn't really want to say what he was going to in fear that Ivan would turn on him when he already said he trusted him, but Alfred pushed those thoughts away. Ivan had the right to know who was going to be helping them.(Also, he didn't want Ivan accidentally killing Vanya.)

"You asked earlier how I knew some of the things I knew and, well, I've been getting help from the...other...Ivan." He trailed off lamely at the end.

"What."

Alfred smiled sheepishly at Ivan's hard stare. "Haha, yeah, he's been helping me out."

"Are you—Alfred. Please tell me you know what you're doing."

"Of course Ivan! I trust him, he has a very good reason to help us. The same one you would if I was like Al."

Ivan couldn't argue against that, no matter how much the idea unsettled him. He supposed it made sense that a different version of himself could only be different in history and not personality. He knew _he_ would probably team up with his enemy if it meant Alfred's safety, was it so hard to believe his counterpart would do the same? And with the way Ivan had seen Al and the other him interact, he could understand why that Ivan would want things to change.

"Okay, okay. It's just...it doesn't matter, as long as you are sure about this, about him, I'll trust you."

"Thank you!" Alfred said, smiling widely. He jumped at Ivan, forgetting he was taller being on the step above Ivan's, so Ivan nearly fell down the stairs as Alfred wrapped his arms around his neck. But he caught them and steadied them, returning the hug with one hand, the other on the rail just in case.

"Now come on, I've got to tell him we're going tonight. Know any sleep spells or whatever?"

Alfred grasped his hand and pulled Ivan behind him, walking to their room and plopping down on the bed.

"Yes, I do. How long do you want to be asleep?" Ivan sat down next to Alfred.

"Hmm, how about twenty minutes? It shouldn't take that long to tell him."

Ivan looked across the room to the wall clock, then realized something.

"Maybe just two minutes?"

"Two minutes? That's hardly enough time to do anything!"

"Yes, in this realm, but in the Dream Realm, time moves at a different rate. I'm guessing you did not know this?"

"Nope."

"Well, it's..." Ivan himself had a poor grasp on the time conversion between the Dream Realm and the other four realms. There was no way to tell time in the realm itself; a watch synced to a different realm was necessary to know the time...in that realm. He did know that one whole day in the Dream Realm equaled one hour in, say, the Medium, since they were there now. That meant twelve hours equaled thirty minutes. Alfred had said twenty minutes, but that would turn out to be roughly nine hours in the Dream Realm. He did not need that long.

"Time moves faster there. One day there is one hour here. So twenty minutes here would be, if my knowledge is correct, almost nine hours there. I do not think it will take you nine hours to tell...uh, Ivan...one thing." It was weird calling the other him by his actual name, since, obviously, they shared a name.

"I didn't think about that, but then again I had no idea time moved differently! How cool is that! And just call him Vanya, I do."

"Vanya?" Ivan frowned.

"Yeah, you know, Al and Vanya? Nicknames, makes it easier to talk about them."

"I guess so," Ivan said sulkily, and Alfred frowned in turn at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, just...Vanya is a more affectionate way of calling someone who's name is Ivan, and you—It's—I don't like it."

"What, being called Vanya or calling the other you Vanya."

Ivan didn't reply, but Alfred had a feeling he knew which one it was. "Ivan. Are you kidding right now. You're going to let a nickname, used for the sake of clarity, dictate who I like more, basically?"

Well, when he put it that way, it did sound kind of childish. Okay, a lot childish, but dammit Ivan didn't want to share.

"I'll tell ya what," Alfred said, sitting up and leaning over to hug Ivan, "When this is all over I'll call you Vanya any time you want, okay?"

"Okay," Ivan smiled, face a little red in embarrassment. Alfred smiled back and leaned closer to kiss him, then laid back on the bed. "Okay, wake me in a few minutes then."

"Right," Ivan agreed. Alfred closed his eyes and Ivan reached over to put a finger to Alfred's temple. Making sure to use the natural energy in the air rather than his own, he nudged Alfred's consciousness from awake and aware to asleep. He saw Alfred's face relax now that he was unconscious, and let his touch linger, brushing back some of his bangs. He sighed and laid back, turning towards the blond to wait for him to wake up.

_Ivan had a fondness for flowers, it seemed. And large open fields. This one was a field of all kinds of different flowers, including sunflowers. He turned in circles, closing his eyes to enjoy the sun and wind. When he opened them again he saw the tree and table in front of him. Like before, Ivan was not there._

_He walked over anyway and sat down, waiting patiently. After a few minutes and nothing, he turned to look behind him, eyes sweeping over the swaying flowers. Seeing nothing, he turned back around, unsurprised this time when Ivan was sitting across from him._

"_I'm sensing a pattern here," Alfred commented, smiling over at him and resting his head in his palm. Ivan shrugged. "It is a habit, I suppose. And this place is one of the only good memories I have left."_

_Alfred's smile faded at the reminder that this wasn't a social visit, and they had important business to discuss. "I've managed to get Katyusha and Ivan to help me. Arthur was against the plan, but I'm going to go behind his back and do it anyway."_

"_I'm sorry he doesn't understand. Did you tell him about me?"_

"_Yeah, and that was part of the reason he didn't want to do this. He felt the whole thing was too risky, too dangerous. As if this was ever going to be not dangerous. Anyway, we're leaving tonight, so are you up to distracting Al?"_

_Ivan's smile, which had never left his face, turned a little strained as he remembered back to his and Alfred's meeting earlier. "Of course, I said I would and I do not want you to think me a liar. I can sense when you enter here. You are very lucky to be appearing here, where Alfred cannot sense you. I have blocked this part from him so that I may have some peace and quiet. Whenever you are ready just make sure you bring them all here, and I will greet you and point you in the right direction."_

"_Thanks for doing this."_

"_It is my pleasure."_

"_I've only got a few minutes but Ivan said time's different here, that I've actually got a lot more time then I think."_

"_Yes, that is true, though I have long ago forgotten what time on your side is like. Days pass here before you fall asleep in bed again at night. We can play chess until you wake up?"_

"_That sounds nice."_

_Ivan summoned the board, white on Alfred's side again. He hadn't practiced at all, since he'd been busy and not even two days had passed since he and Ivan last played, so Ivan still beat him with little effort. But Alfred, ever the determined one, used all that Ivan had taught him to try and win. But by the time the world started shaking, Ivan had not lost yet._

"_Someday," Alfred said as the world faded around him, "Someday I'll beat you."_

"_I look forward to it."_

When Alfred opened his eyes it was too the ceiling, but a weight on the bed next to him had him turn his head to meet Ivan's eyes. "Alright, we're all ready to go. We just have to appear where I go so Al doesn't detect us and rip us apart. Katyusha can do that, right?"

"Yes," Ivan chuckled, finding it endearing that Alfred would try and make light of a dark situation. "She can have us follow you into the realm."

"Great, then let's go tell Katyusha." Alfred stood up but Ivan held him back by his wrist and sat up on the bed. "Wait." Tugging him back, he pulled Alfred onto his lap and kissed him deeply, forcing Alfred to bend his back some. He pulled away only to connect them again and again, wrapping his arms tight around Alfred's back. Alfred was trying to talk around the kisses, literally having the breath kissed out of him. "Ivan—I can't—need to breathe,_ mmm,_" Ivan pulled back but stayed close, allowing Alfred to draw in breath. His face was flushed from lack of oxygen and Ivan could feel his own face a little red.

Alfred rested his forehead against Ivan's, staring into his exotically colored eyes. Maybe not for a Demon but definitely for a human. They looked knowing and piercing, staring straight to his soul. He could get lost in them, and he'd be a happy man if he could stay there forever in Ivan's arms, just staring into his eyes. "I...I love you," Alfred whispered, heart beating rapidly. He didn't know when he fell in love exactly, and he had a tendency to do it quicker than most(more than once the cause of great pain for him when a relationship didn't work out), but he felt like it was right to say that now, right to say it to Ivan in general. No one could live up to what Ivan had already done for him, and no one could compare. Ivan understood him on a level no human could, because they weren't human

Ivan stared at Alfred, who gave him a small smile, cheeks light red, before practically trying to devour him, kissing him so hard Alfred's back was starting to hurt and his lips would surely bruise. He returned the sentiment, but was hesitant to say it out loud, if only because of what he was. Demons were not known for their love, they were known for their cruelty. He had been in love once before, to a nice girl in the village he used to live in over a hundred years ago. That had been over in Europe, and the reason he started traveling around. As soon as he'd revealed himself, she'd been frightened and fled, stomping all over his heart in the process. He'd long gotten over it, but told himself to never let the same happen again. However, this wasn't quite the same. Alfred wasn't human, he wasn't afraid, and he loved him back.

Ivan sighed into the kiss. "If my heart could beat, it would do so only for you."

Alfred snorted, silly grin on his face. "Dude, that is so corny." But his own heart was doing a weird sort of jig in his chest, beating so fast he was sure it'd beat right out of his chest. As it was it had already colored his face a pretty red.

Ivan smiled. "But it is the truth." And though truthfully it _was_ beating, seeing Alfred's reaction made him feel light and airy, like walking on clouds. How fitting.

"Come on big guy, let's go before we get into something a little too intimate. We have things to do." This time he let Alfred up, and together they went to find Katyusha.

They found her exiting the library, having gone in there to give Arthur some tea. "Oh, hello there. Have you figured out when you want to leave?"

"Yes, we'll do it when everyone's asleep—well almost everyone," he amended, looking at the library doors. No doubt Arthur would stay up as long as possible.

"We're going to have to go somewhere no one can find our bodies. If someone tries and wake us before we're ready, it won't be good for us," Katyusha mentioned. A second later she snapped her fingers, face brightening as she thought about the perfect place. "We can use the attic. Only Ivan and I can enter."

"Great! Also, Ivan said you can follow me into the realm, right? Because there's a specific place we need to enter at so Al doesn't know we're there."

"Yes, I can do that. You'll need to drink a potion though, so we're tied to you. Wherever you go, we go."

"That's fine with me," Alfred said. All they could do now was wait.


	25. Part 1

**I was really excited about starting this story, but now I just want to work on other things. I'm sorry if this fic isn't turning out good. I assume people still like it from the views but I am honestly surprised when it gets favorites and followers. But nonetheless, I will still try my best to finish this story with a well and deserved ending.**

* * *

Ivan glared at the cards in his hand, then at the smiling blond across to him. Usually that smile was something that promised hot nights and soft sighs, but right now it had taken on a smug edge and really he just wanted to slap it off the cocky Angel.

Alfred may not have been able to beat Ivan in chess(well he didn't know if he could beat Ivan but he definitely couldn't beat Vanya), but he'd be damned if Ivan could beat him in poker. It may have been seen as petty to gloat so obviously, but as was going through his mind right now, _fuck that._ This was for technically beating him so many times in chess. And he hated losing.

Ivan debated the possibility of Alfred winning and therefore gloating, which would allow Ivan to smack him. Relationship or no, he wasn't above teaching the little upstart a lesson in humility.

He laid his hand down, cautiously, and waited for the inevitable shout of either joy or despair. He didn't have to wait long.

"Fuck yeah! Suck it!" Alfred stood and slammed his hand on the table. Ivan had three pair, jacks, but Alfred had a straight flush, seven through jack of spades. Ivan groaned and put a hand to his face, staring at Alfred between his fingers. Alfred was doing a victory dance and was completely ignorant to his actions quickly making Ivan more and more irritated.

"Alfred please, try and be a little less..." Katyusha tried to think of a nice way to say "dickish" but was struggling. Ivan however had no problem voicing his thoughts.

"You really are asking for it Alfred. I will not show restraint just because you're my boyfriend."

"Oh yeah?" Alfred smirked, putting his hands up in a "come here" motion. "Bring it on."

"Gladly," Ivan growled.

Katyusha sighed and shook her head. Men.

As she watched Ivan spiral further into irritation every time Alfred beat him, she was monitoring the heartbeats still active. Not one of the more common Demon powers, but also not the most unused one. As far as she could tell, only Arthur and Francis were still awake, though one was about to fall asleep. They were most likely in the library. It was already 11: 40, so she got up from her seat next to the table.

"I'm—" She paused upon seeing them. Ivan had managed to restrain Alfred's hands behind his back, though not without having to knock the blond to the ground somehow. She cleared her throat and they paused to look up at her.

"I'm going to go say goodnight to Arthur and Francis now. Then we'll go to the attic, yes?" She left them after they nodded.

Truth be told, Katyusha felt bad for Arthur. He was really trying to find a way for them to succeed without putting them at too much risk. But that would ultimately be something he couldn't avoid. As far as she understood(not having been around when Al had come to the Human Realm), this task was never going to be easy. Alfred knew so little compared to seasoned Angels. She didn't know their opponent, but Arthur had informed her of what had transpired during Ivan's spell. Al knew more about Angels than their Alfred did.

The door to the library was cracked open, so she nudged it enough to stick her head through and knocked softly to announce her presence. Arthur looked up from his book and saved his place, waving her in. Francis was sitting across from him—well more like slumped across from him; he was asleep. Katyusha picked up an old quilt and placed it over him.

"You should get some rest Arthur. Magic can't do everything," she admonished him. He sighed and rubbed his face. "I know, I know; don't think I haven't been told already many times. But I know I can find the answer. I can't—I won't rest until I find a way."

"I understand Arthur, but you're no good to us if you run yourself ragged. Even if you do find a way, you're going to have to rest awhile to replenish your strength. Wouldn't it be better to rest at least a little bit each night?" She didn't want to be mean, but for people like Arthur, it required getting straight to the point, sometimes even being cruel. He needed to see that his actions now would have possibly severe consequences later, namely death.

They stared at each other, a sort of challenge they both knew Katyusha would win. Breaking eye contact, Arthur let his eyes drift to the sleeping Francis, who had stayed with him all day. There was a very real possibility that any one of them could die. And if he wasn't on top of his game, more than necessary could. He didn't want to make a mistake because of sleep and magic deprivation that resulted in Francis, Matthew, or Alfred becoming endangered by helping him. And he knew that would be less than ideal, because Alfred would have something much more important to focus on, and if his concentration was split, Al wouldn't think twice before killing him. As for Francis and Matthew, he knew Al was going to conjure some sort of creature for them to fight. Plus now he had Alfred's words on his mind. If the other Ivan was on their side, he knew he wouldn't just accept that. Arthur would be suspicious of every move he made, which would only put them further in danger. Katyusha was right.

"You're right, of course. But I feel so close, I...I can't stop. I know the dangers of what I'm doing, but if we don't get to Heaven soon, Al might just get bored enough to attack us here. We'd be so unprepared, we wouldn't stand a chance."

Katyusha walked over and put a hand on his shoulder, using it as an excuse to comfort him to hide her true intentions. "Don't worry Arthur, you are a very intelligent individual. I have faith you'll figure this out." Quickly, before he could sense or react to her magic, she sent a pulse of energy through him, giving him only the chance to gasp before he passed out in much needed sleep. She took the book from him and placed it on the table, then manhandled him until he was laying down. Finally she covered him with a blanket and smiled before walking back to Ivan's room.

Just as she turned the knob and pushed the door open, her instincts told her to maybe knock first, despite telling them she was going to be back. She should never ignore her instincts either. Truthfully, Katyusha was old. Old and wise and, though she acted patient and kind, there was only so much she could take before becoming commanding. It was in her nature, after all, as the Demon King's daughter, to want to rule over others. Despite repressing that urge to near non-existence, sometimes it was brought out.

She stood in the doorway, light blush on her face. Apparently sexual gratification was more important than being prepared at the moment, because even though they still had clothes on, things were getting way too heated. She coughed, hoping to get their attention, and when that didn't work she stepped into the room and shut the door.

They must have been invested in each other quite a lot for Ivan to not notice her presence. She briefly wondered if they would actually take a shot at getting off somehow if she stood there and did nothing, but Ivan was her brother so it would be inappropriate. She cleared her throat loudly, hands on her hips.

They froze and Alfred gasped, tilting his head back to look at her upside down. Ivan groaned and pressed his face to the area between Alfred's neck and shoulder, ears red in embarrassment. Stupid Alfred and his stupid charming ways. Ivan _knew _it would be a bad idea, that there was no way they could get far enough to be satisfied before Katyusha came back. Now he was horny and it was all Alfred's fault.

"Boys, please, try to show a little more restraint?" Was that too much to ask? They kind of had an important task ahead.

"S-Sorry," Alfred stuttered, pushing Ivan off of him. They got up, faces red, and fixed their rumpled appearances.

"Everyone is asleep now, we should gather our things and meet in the attic," Katyusha suggested, going over to the desk and picking up a small bag. Inside was a vial with a mix of ingredients she'd prepared earlier, as well as a sewing needle. Then she transported herself to the attic, leaving Ivan and Alfred behind.

She didn't have to wait long for them to appear.

"So what now?" Alfred asked, sitting on one of the cots in the room. The attic itself was dusty and cluttered, unexpected seeing as how the rest of the manor was spotless. Boxes, pictures, documents, and various other belongings littered the room in heaps on one side. On their side, cots barely comfortable enough to be called beds sat, stiff and infused with an odor of age. It was dark, with only the light of the moon above coming through a skylight providing an eerie glow.

Katyusha held out the vial, uncorking it. "After we finish the potion, you need to drink it then fall asleep. Once your mind is pulled to the Dream Realm, we will automatically follow. We will be tied to you until you awaken. But because of this there is some danger. If we are discovered, and you or either of us injured, we all feel it. The same applies to death." Alfred felt nervousness stab along his spine, making him feel twitchy and nauseous. This was turning out to be a lot more risky than he'd planned. "So be extra careful, got it."

Katyusha handed the cork to Ivan and pulled out the needle. "To finish the potion, Ivan and I must add our blood first, then you yours. Then you must drink it." Alfred gulped and looked at the sickly colored liquid in the vial. "Isn't that dangerous? Me being an Angel and you two Demons?" He did not want to drink something with blood in it.

Katyusha poked her middle finger and let a drop fall in, then healed the small break and held the vial out for Ivan to do the same. "There is nothing to worry about. The small amount of blood will be eradicated once it enters your body, but the point of it is to complete the potion. It allows for the strong binding we need."

Alfred watched the liquid sizzle and turn black as Ivan added his own blood. "Oh." Ivan handed him the needle while Katyusha held the vial out. Quickly, Alfred stabbed his finger and squeezed a drop into the liquid. Immediately the liquid turned a radiant blue, emitting a mist like it was frozen. Upon taking the vial, Alfred discovered it was freezing cold. It definitely looked much better to drink. "Whenever you're ready," Katyusha said.

Alfred paused for only a second before downing the vial, the freezing liquid felt all the way down his throat. He handed the glass back to Katyusha while Ivan put a hand to his temple, sending a little jolt of energy through him like earlier. Alfred fell back on the bed, sound asleep.

Katyusha laid down on one of the cots next to Alfred, Ivan on the other side after putting on a watch. They felt only a quick mental pull before they were following Alfred to the Dream Realm.

!~~:(~~!

This time when he opened his eyes, he wasn't standing in the field, but laying on the grass, staring up at the cloud spotted sky. Sitting up, he saw Ivan and Katyusha doing the same.

"Okay, so Vanya usually waits a bit before greeting me. He should be here in a little bit."

"Well while we wait I can set the alarm on this watch," Ivan said, bringing his wrist up.

"We left just before midnight," Katyusha started, "So that means we should return to the Medium around five. I don't know how early some of them wake up so just to be on the safe side we should get back early morning. So from twelve to five is five hours, which gives us five days here." Ivan set the alarm to go off at four thirty, which would give them time to get back to...Vanya's pocket of the realm before returning to the Medium. A lot could happen in five days, and they might end up far enough away that it could take some time to get back here.

"Okay, I set the alarm to four thirty. That should give us enough time to come back here before we return home."

"So what happens if we get separated?" Alfred asked. He was still new to potions and actually using them. He used to help Arthur make them but he never drank any save the ones supposedly making him live longer(of course he knew the truth about them now—offhandedly, he wondered what was in those).

"The potion takes care of that for us. If I were to walk that way," she pointed in front of her, "without stopping, eventually I'd start feeling a strong pull backwards; towards you, Alfred. Because of the nature of the potion, we will be drawn to you, but not each other, which is fine. You, on the other hand, will feel drawn to both of us. So if we are ever separated completely, Ivan and I will be able to find you. All you'd need to do is find a safe place to hide."

Alfred nodded along with her words. "Makes sense."

Suddenly Vanya appeared before them, looking tired. Alfred, Ivan, and Katyusha turned to face him, Alfred in front of the two Demons. Whether or not they were physically real, Vanya was still an unknown Demon. It couldn't be helped that they were wary around him, and suspicious.

"Hello again, Alfred." He greeted, looking past Alfred to the two Demons. "And to you as well. I must say, it had been awhile since I've seen my own sister. I can only hope she's doing as well as you are." Katyusha offered a smile, but no more. He could see from their silence and stance that they were in no state to chat with him, so he cut to business. "I took the liberty of finding a door for you. I assume you'll want to be traveling to your own timeline's past?"

"Yes," Katyusha answered, "That is the most logical course of action. It would be best to meddle with our own line than bother someone else's. We don't want to influence something we have no control in." Usually Katyusha was very trusting and kind, but this was something she had to really think about. If this Ivan proved to be tricking them, she couldn't be caught unaware because she acted like Alfred and believed in him fully. He had nothing to lose helping them, and everything to gain, but she couldn't take that chance.

"Then once you leave here go straight until you see a large archway. Turn right and go up the steps to a lone door. That will be the closest portal to your own timeline. You can decide when you want to go from there."

"Thank you for helping us, again," Alfred said with a smile. Vanya smiled back a bit hesitantly, because Ivan was glaring at him so intensely, like he wanted to rip his eyes out for just looking at Alfred. He opened a portal to the main plane of the Dream Realm, the first plane, and sighed at the prospect of being around his own Alfred again. After their last encounter, he was sure this one would leave him with a lot of bruises and a stronger than normal urge to kill himself.

"How long do you plan on being here?"

"Five days."

"Then I shall see you then. Here, take these; they will shield you from Al's presence while in the same part of the forgotten realm as him," he held out three small charms to Alfred. "Be safe, all of you, and please, find whatever you're looking for." With that parting, he disappeared back to the first plane of existence.

With him gone Katyusha and Ivan could relax. The tension was so palpable that Alfred could feel it in the air almost as clearly as wind. He turned to them. "What the hell was that guys? You didn't have to get so edgy around him. I could tell from here that you both wanted to rip him to shreds, or something. You could try to be a little more trusting!"

"I'm sorry Alfred!" Katyusha said, "He's just so different and radiates a negative, corrupted energy. I can't help it." Alfred nodded and patted her on the shoulder, showing it was alright. Ivan on the other hand didn't believe they were harsh enough to him. "And you?" Alfred asked, turning to Ivan.

"I'm not sorry, if you're looking for an apology. He deserves to be treated with suspicion and hatred, even. You have a big heart Alfred, and sometimes you don't see the bad in people when that's all there is to them."

"That's not true!" Alfred defended. He figured Ivan's reasoning didn't apply to only Vanya but Al as well. Alfred knew that both Vanya and Al could get better, but they needed _his_ help. Why couldn't Ivan, or Arthur, see that? "I know Al still had good in him. It may be deep down but it's there, I know it! And I'm going to help him; both of them deserve that after all they've been through."

Ivan bit his tongue and suppressed the urge to destroy something. Alfred saw this and looked down at the charms in his hands, changing the subject. They had no time to be turning on each other. "Here, we better get going," he said, handing on charm to Katyusha and one to Ivan. He took his own and admired it. It looked pretty simple, made crudely from whatever materials Vanya could find. It must have been cursed or something to prevent Al from sensing them. It had a long string, obviously meant to be worn around his neck. He put it on and walked towards the portal, Ivan and Katyusha following.

Exiting the portal opened up to a large, dark, bare environment. Everything was a shade of gray, and no light penetrated the darkness. It was quiet and nothing moved. Alfred shivered. "This place is weird. What's the deal here?"

Seeing the archway as Vanya had said, Katyusha started walking towards it. "This was once a normal realm like the others. People came here in their dreams. But once Demons took control of it, you can probably guess what happened. People started coming here only in their nightmares, or would have their dream quickly turn dark. People also started being banished here, and once that happens, if you're not a Demon, it's almost impossible to return to another realm." She turned her head to look at him. "That's how you got here. Al, who is just as much Demon as Angel, pulled you here in your dreams, and influenced them into a nightmare. Though, he must have waited a long time for someone like you to appear, because this realm is vast; it is made up from people's dreams, so the environment is drastically different in some places." She looked around, frown on her face. "I haven't been in for a long time now, but it is definitely darker than I remember. It seems Al's prolonged stay here is having an adverse effect on the realm."

"Oh," Alfred said, and that was really all he could say. God, Al was such a dick. Alfred still couldn't imagine being changed so thoroughly as to destroy not only his relationship but also an extremely old realm of dreams. But Alfred also knew that Al was desperate to escape, just as Vanya was desperate enough to ask for help.

Subconsciously, his fear of specters and the ghostly feeling of his surroundings dialing up his nerves, he reached to his left and grabbed Ivan's hand. Ivan smiled a little but noticed something different. He looked down and turned his hand to view Alfred's. "Alfred? When did you start wearing this?"

"What?" Alfred said, following Ivan's gaze to the ring on his finger. His heart nearly stopped beating before accelerating to a rapid pace. Fear shot through his body like a drug. It was the ring from his nightmare, the one he discovers on himself and the same one on Al's fist when it clutches his heart. He started shaking slightly as he let go of Ivan's hand and pulled his own to his face to better observe the ring. He most certainly had not been wearing it; he'd honestly hoped he'd never see it again.

"It—it's the ring...the ring from my nightmare," Alfred said, lifting his other hand to gently and slowly touch it. When nothing happened he grabbed it frantically and pulled. It didn't budge. He let out a choked sort of gasp and pulled more urgently, but no matter how much force he used it wouldn't come off. "It won't come off! Do something!"

"Alfred, relax. You're going to be okay," Ivan said, trying to calm him down. It wouldn't be good for them to start freaking out now, not when they were so deep already. And Alfred was the last person of their group who needed to lose his head.

"How is this going to be okay!? This demon ring won't come off!" Alfred said, voiced strained as he continued to try and pull the ring off. It wasn't that it was too tight, it simply did not move. He feared the only way to take it off would be to sever his finger.

"Here, let me see it Alfred," Katyusha asked, taking Alfred's hand in hers. She brought her hand up to trace along the ring's edge. "It is not an actual ring, but the shadow of the real one. It has no purpose as far as I can tell."

"What do you mean? Like, it's fake?" Alfred asked. She nodded. "Yes. There should be a double somewhere. Whatever is going on with it won't effect you, only the other one." She dropped his hand. "So you see? There is really nothing to worry about. Now let's continue, shall we?" She smiled kindly and walked on. She wasn't completely sure if the ring was harmless, but the power it held was not in this one but its twin. Plus, she didn't want Alfred freaking out.

They followed Vanya's instructions, passing the archway and turning right. The small set of stairs and a lone door were hard to miss, as they were the only obvious structures around. They approached the door and stopped. "Okay, so I'll try to get us to a date before the Civil War, but I don't know how close we might be to it. We could arrive years before it, or one day."

"Wait, what about you two? I mean, I'm an Angel so I should be okay, but won't you guys be sensed like, right away? Al and Vanya still had their powers outside this realm in a world not their own, shouldn't you two?"

"Yes, we will," Ivan answered, "But just the fact we are with you and you are unharmed should be enough to convince them that we are of no threat. Our presence will also be so small any Angel would have to be right next to us to sense us. We will feel like a bug to them, that is how small our presence will seem." He put a hand on the back of Alfred's neck and rubbed it reassuringly. "You really need to stop worrying so much. Only Al can kill us in this realm, and he does not even know we're here. And the potion helps us keep track of each other. So please, just relax."

"I know, I'm sorry. This is just turning out so much different than I imagined. Arthur was right, this way is too risky."

"But it is the quickest way, right? And possibly the only way. Arthur and Yao are trying their best, I'm sure, but we need to take action now."

"Yeah, yeah you're right. Let's just hope we get to a safe time, huh?"

Katyusha held out her hand and focused on the years before the Civil War, trying to remember which they were exactly. After a few seconds the door pulsed once and lit up a dark blue. "That should be around the time we want. Are you ready?" She asked them.

"Yes," Alfred said, clutching Ivan's hand again for moral support. "I'm ready."

Katyusha took Alfred's other hand and walked through, pulling Alfred and Ivan behind her. (She didn't want to risk the door sending them to different areas—time was a fickle thing.)

A blinding light made them shield their eyes. They walked forward, eyes adjusting to the whiteness around them. Everything was so bright and colorful and pure. They were in Heaven.

It was incredible. The air was light and clean, the sun warm. If he had his wings out he was sure that sun would feel amazing on them. Something in Alfred longed to go out and fly through the air, to roll around in the bright green grass and generally be himself. It was like he'd been here in a memory, or a dream. It was so familiar yet strange to him. This was Heaven. And he was the Angel who never knew it.

For Ivan and Katyusha, however, Heaven was too bright. Even Ivan, who was only half-demon, could not stand the purity and brightness of such a place. He was sure if they were in a complete physical form the rays of Heaven's sun would burn their skin.

"It's...very bright, wouldn't you say?" Katyusha asked, mostly to Ivan. He nodded and looked at Alfred, who was as unbothered as any being in their natural environment. "Come on," he said, grabbing Alfred's hand. "Let's go find someone to help us. We need to know what the date is." Alfred let Ivan drag him behind him and Katyusha, admiring Heaven still. He couldn't help it really, as this was his first time seeing Heaven—wait.

"Wait," Alfred said, tugging Ivan to a stop. The Demon siblings turned to look at Alfred, though Alfred was looking at a particular structure. In the distance was a temple like building, with many pillars leading up to it. The temple itself was built in the side of a small mountain. _Darkness and creeping shadows chasing him, running and jumping over a bridge, walking past broken pillars and into the blue-lit temple. Domed rooms and glowing eyes, and death._ Alfred gasped and took a step back.

"What's wrong?" Ivan said, concerned from the look on Alfred's face, like the blond had seen a terrifying ghost. Alfred lifted a hand to point at the distant structure.

"That temple...and the pillars...they're from my nightmare as well." He let that sink in as he started putting the pieces together. This place was familiar because he had been there, technically. His nightmare had taken place in Heaven, or what must have been Heaven as it was in his present. He wondered if the temple really did have a grand throne room, though he doubted the throne itself was made of bones.

"Your nightmare was in Heaven?" Ivan asked. That would mean Al had either pulled Alfred into their Heaven or he'd been to his own when he was still in his world. He could understand Al going to visit Heaven in his own world, but why would he visit their Heaven? And why would he force Alfred there?

"I guess so," Alfred said, now more unnerved than he was with the ring. Everything about him and his nightmare and the cause of his nightmare were connecting in the most complicated of ways.

They continued walking along the bright path, seeing nothing but native foliage and the sun above. How strange to be in Heaven, when for so long it had not been a sign of hope in their world. Eventually they came across a small house on the outskirts, quite a distance from the temple they'd previously been able to see.

"Do you think they'll help us?" Alfred asked, standing between the Demons. Ivan pushed him forward a bit. "We won't know until you ask. Go on," he urged. Alfred swatted his hands away and frowned. "Alright, I'm going." He slowly made him way to the doorstep, looking back once to see both Demons urge him on. He brought his hand up and hesitated, giving several almost knocks before finally knocking audibly.

He waited, shifting nervously, for the door to open, and almost turned around when he heard and saw the knob turn. A moment later the door opened to a young woman.

They stared at each other. There was silence for several moments as they did so. Alfred took in the sight of another Angel, amazed by the sight of someone like himself. She had her wings out, and was wearing a simple white dress, loose enough to be comfortable but tight enough to show a bump at her stomach. She must have been pregnant, Alfred thought.

"...Can I help you?" She asked. He could tell by the way she kept the door close to her that she wasn't taking any chance with a stranger, especially one who looked as strange as he must have. Belatedly, he realized he and the Demons must look weird wearing their modern clothing. Also, they were transparent.

"Ah, yes, if you don't mind actually. We don't mean any harm, we just need to know some information." He gestured to the siblings. "We can stay out here if it makes you feel any better."

"No, it is alright for you to come in, I don't mind," she said, opening the door wider. Alfred waved the Demons over and followed the woman in.

The home was small, but welcoming. It was warm, but in the sense that a family belonged there, despite the fact there were no signs anyone but her lived there. She sat down on a cushioned rocking chair. Alfred, Ivan, and Katyusha took the couch. She stared at them for a bit, rubbing circles along her swelled stomach.

"You three are not from around here, are you?" She asked, looking more to Ivan and Katyusha than Alfred. They looked at each other and both boys motioned for Katyusha to take over the conversation.

"No, we are not," She offered. She didn't know what sort of impact they'd have if they said too much.

"By your appearances, I'd say you came from the realm of sleep, am I wrong?...And some time in the future, for surely no one wears such interesting apparel as yourselves."

Oh. "Yes, we are from there, and...yes, we are from the future. This timeline's future, actually. We desperately need your help. Well, Alfred needs your help—oh! I'm sorry, let me introduce us. I'm Katyusha, this is Ivan, and this is Alfred."

"I am called Alison."

"Alison, it is very nice to meet you. Can you tell us what year it is? In the human realm, I mean."

"The...year? I must admit I am not current with that realm's time, as I have not been there in several months. Since I started carrying my little one I have stayed here, in Heaven."

Well, not the worst thing that could have happened to them. So they didn't know the date, but that wouldn't stop them. Katyusha was sure there was another way to get an estimate, at least.

"I'm sorry, but you two are Demons? And, Alfred was it? You are an Angel? Your energies are very low and hard to read."

"That's right, we are Demons, and Alfred is indeed an Angel."

"Then I must ask what you three are doing together? It is not common for our kinds to mingle so casually. I can see you are comfortable around each other, and by the way the young one is holding onto you," she said, talking to Ivan now, "you are probably a lot more intimately comfortable than you're letting on."

Alfred was holding onto Ivan's arm, an unconscious action to make himself feel safer, even though there wasn't any danger. Quickly, he retracted his grip, though it was too late.

"Well you see, things are a bit different in our time," Katyusha tried to explain, but it would be impossible for Alison to completely understand. That would mean revealing that Angels no longer existed save for Alfred, and that was something she knew would have a dramatic change on their history. Or not, of course, but it all depended on this Angel in front of them. If they told and she either didn't care about the conflict or ended up dying, nothing would change. Or, she could try and report the future and simply be ignored. But they couldn't risk their pasts changing, lest they wished to become displaced in time.

"You do not have to tell me, I know how dangerous traveling through time can be." And she smiled a smile Ivan recognized instantly, though he kept his surprise and suspicion to himself for now.

"Right. The thing is that Alfred's circumstances forced him to grow up in the Human Realm, with no other Angels there to guide him. I raised him myself for a bit before passing him off to a capable mage to look after him, but there are some things only Angels can teach each other."

Alison looked visibly surprised at this news. "Oh you poor dear, growing up without other Angels must have been so difficult. And to be abandoned like that..." She shook her head. "It is not unheard of that Angels sometimes leave their children in another realm, as we are not completely holy and good. We are made out to be, but sometimes we act just like humans."

Ivan found it odd she'd be the one to say this, considering that she would end up abandoning Alfred, but he supposed, since she had been injured and ended up dying, he couldn't fault her. Still, he wondered if Katyusha had already connected Alfred and Alison as being family, or if either of the Angels had. After all, they looked alike. Both had blond hair, cut rather short, and the same eyes. Plus that smile Ivan had seen...though Alison's had been toned down, it was definitely something Alfred had inherited from her.

"I cannot help but notice you are expecting," Ivan said, curious. She nodded and smiled to show it was alright to be so. "Yes, my little one will be here soon, I know it. I hope Heaven hasn't changed too much by the time he's here."

"What do you mean?" Alfred asked. Alison sighed and looked down at her stomach.

"There has been a lot of tension lately between two sides. The Angels have split down the middle and started arguing about the best course to take for the future. One side wants to eradicate all residents of Hell while the other does not wish to. We are suppose to be a peaceful race, fair to all, even our enemies, but the way some are talking about killing...it cuts my heart up. I need no more proof than this that not all Demons are bad," she said, gesturing to the three of them at the end.

This was news to Ivan and Katyusha. That's what the Civil War in Heaven had been about? Angels had destroyed themselves because of Demons? Somehow it was both wrong and fitting, that Angels would fight each other over their enemy. It was very obvious to both Demons that the Angels had become nearly extinct for the most stupid of reasons.

"That's certainly news to us," Katyusha mentioned. "No one in our time knows why the Angels...fought." She'd almost given it away that they only succeeded in dying out.

"Well, since you two are still alive I'm guessing the more compassionate side won. I just hope my baby and I manage to stay out of it."

Ivan looked at Alfred, because "her baby" managed to get himself right in the middle of it.

"Actually," Katyusha said, subtly trying to change the subject. "The information we need has to do with Demons; particularly how Angels exercise them."

This conversation must had contained a lot of firsts for her, because she looked shocked again, but it was easy to understand why. Two Demons and an Angel wanted to know how Angels exercised Demons. She'd think they wouldn't want Alfred knowing that but it was obviously not the case.

"That is a subject I'm afraid has many parts to it. We teach our young here about that fairly early on in their lives. It is a crucial part of having them protected from Demons."

"I can see why," Alfred muttered to Ivan.

"We have five days here, is that enough time?" Katyusha asked, and Alison looked to the side. "It really depends on how much you want to know."

"I don't know anything about the subject," Alfred said. "How would an Angel exorcise a normal Demon, give me a run down or something."

Alison smiled slightly. "I suppose that would be a great place to start. If you don't mind though, I'd like to get something to drink before I begin."

"Not at all," Alfred said, even standing up and outstretching a hand in offering. She took it, amused yet thankful for his gesture, and walked over to the kitchen. Ivan wondered if this would be a good time to tell Alfred about his suspicions that Alison was his mother. Maybe Katyusha had noticed.

"_Sister, have you noticed anything...similar, between Alison and Alfred?_" He whispered in Russian. Alfred eyed them though didn't say anything for now. Katyusha nodded some. "_Yes, they have many remarkable similarities, both in their appearance and mannerisms. Watch their hands when they speak, you'll see. Also, I would keep this to ourselves for now."_ He pulled away from her and smiled widely at Alfred's questioning look. Alison walked back in with a pitcher and four cups.

"Feel free to help yourselves." She sat the pitcher on the table and poured herself a glassful, sitting back in the rocking chair. "Now, where to begin...I haven't battled a Demon in awhile but their fighting styles don't change that often. Usually one way works with multiple Demons. You all know that our energies war, right? That they can't connect without one overtaking the other?"

When they nodded she continued. "It is a very intense mental battle. It is physical as well, but the majority is mental. For the first example, we'll assume the Angel wins. In that case, the Demon's energy is stripped from him and the Angel can do with it what he wants. Angels will deal with the energy before dealing with Demon's body. There are two things Angels can do with the energy; it can be released and transformed into natural energy, or the Angel can absorb it and convert it to angelic energy. The Angel can then either turn the Demon human, leave him to fade away, or destroy him on the spot. Usually, depending on the Demon's strength and rank, the Angel will decide what to do with the energy and body on the spot. Now, Demons, being corrupt at their core, will only drain the Angel of his energy and convert it to their own, in turn destroying the Angel's body. They do not allow the Angel to become human, nor to have a quick and painless death. That is why we teach young Angels so young how to defend themselves."

An uneasy feeling, almost sickening in its intensity, was creeping up on Alfred. It was quickly becoming apparent to him that Al and him would have to be locked in that kind of battle, and if Al won, there would be no way for Alfred to survive. But if he managed to defeat Al, he would be able to change him back to normal.

"What about Dark Angels?" Alfred asked.

She looked at him curiously, brow furrowing slightly. "It...depends on which side is stronger. There hasn't been a Dark Angel here in thousands of years, but from our records the outcomes are the same if one side is stronger. That will also be the case for each Dark Angel; there will never be one with equal parts Angel and Demon, because the original will always be either an Angel first, or a Demon...

may I ask why you are concerned with this?"

Alfred looked to Katyusha for help. She smiled and encouraged him to continue, as there was nothing she could see that would influence their present.

"I do need to learn how to exercise Demons, but right now, there is a Dark Angel after us. Well, me. He's trapped in the Dream Realm and believes taking my own energy will give him enough to escape."

"Oh, that sounds terrible!" She put both hands on her stomach. "There are so many unpredictable outcomes in life...with the growing conflict my nights are filled with worry for my baby. My little Angel doesn't have a father either, and I know I am strong enough to protect him but..."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Katyusha said, reaching over to lay a hand on her arm. Tears were edging at her eyes. She'd always had a soft heart. "I know how hard it can be to lose someone close to you." She resisted looking over at Alfred.

"Oh," and Alison laughed a bit, patting Katyusha's hand. "He's not dead or anything. You're very sweet to be empathetic though. He's alive, but...I personally do not know how Demon relationships progress after certain stages, but for Angels the carrier can only have one child, and no more. The provider stays to make sure conception takes, then leaves the carrier to protect the child."

"Amazingly," Ivan said, "It is very similar to our own customs." He himself was victim to that. Only he had the added disadvantage of being half-human.

"Wait, so he just left you?" Alfred asked. From all the calm casual chatting going on it was like he was the only one concerned. "What kind of guy does that?"

"It is our custom, and has been since the beginning. Things might be different in your time, but for us right now, this is how it has to be. Besides, even if he stayed I would have no need for him. It is better for both of us if he focuses on the conflict."

Heaven was turning out to be much different than he'd expected. It was almost like Earth, just with winged people. But abandoning his child and family? That was something Alfred would never do. He may not be able to experience having a family, since he and Ivan were both men and he didn't see them leaving each other any time soon, but still even just the thought was sickening to him.

"Still," Alfred pressed, leaning forward, "Don't you have love here? How can you be okay with raising your baby by yourself when the father is making no move to help you? Doesn't he want to be a part of his child's life?" Alfred knew that since Heaven apparently operated differently that Alison would probably not understand why he was so displeased at this news, but surely she couldn't agree with something so preposterous.

She wasn't upset by his words though, nor angry. "I can see that family means a lot to you, and I can only assume that the reason for that is because you did not grow up here. If you had, you'd understand."

_I don't want to understand,_ he thought. Katyusha was looking at him sadly, slowly shaking her head. He was getting too close to blurting out that it would have been impossible to grow up in Heaven because, if the wrong side had one, he and Alison would have been killed together. She couldn't know Heaven ends up destroyed.

He sat back and crossed his arms, and Katyusha turned to Alison. "If you don't mind, do you think you can teach Alfred what he needs to know? I know you are with child, but we are desperate. This chance we are taking could cost us everything."

"I don't mind. Though, are you planning on leaving any time soon?

"We have to leave in five days."

Alison bit her lip and stared at her stomach. Alfred looked back over to her, worried suddenly that it would take more than the time they had.

"It is not hard to learn how to exorcise. The problem is practice. There are creatures captured from Hell in the Grand Temple, used to teach the young ones how to defend themselves. I assume you don't want to practice on each other, since one of you might lose control?" Yeah, that was definitely a no-go. Neither Ivan nor Katyusha wanted to risk their baser instincts overtaking them. Since he was just beginning, Alfred wouldn't stand a chance against them. Though there was still hope. If they could get to those creatures, both were confident Alfred could learn how to become a capable exorcist because of his fierce determination and spirit.

"When can we start?"

"Any time you're ready."

"We should go now," Ivan said, standing up and dragging Alfred with him. "We need to get this done quickly."

Katyusha stood up as well and helped Alison up. "The temple is not far," Alison said. "It used to be guarded, but all capable Angels have devoted themselves to helping strengthen the argument on one side," she shook her head. "It is a shame too, because Heaven used to be so full of life, but now I see only selfish individuals quarreling over meaningless topics." She sighed.

"Don't worry," Katyusha said, "Their bickering will come to an end, and they will be at peace." Not technically a lie.

"I can't wait to see that day," she smiled. Alison excused herself to gather a bag and some supplies, which left the Angel and Demons to themselves.

"_It's sad she never will,"_ Katyusha said to Ivan, who nodded. Alfred looked at them again and couldn't keep quiet. "Alright, what are you two talking about?"

They blinked, feigning innocence. "It is nothing to worry yourself over, just some simple observations," Ivan said.

"Really? Then why's it sad she'll never see the end of the Angel's fight? Because she dies like all the others?"

They froze. He could understand them. Which meant he spoke Russian. "You know Russian?" Ivan asked.

Alfred looked at them funny. "Are you seriously going to ask if I know more than one language? And don't tell me you two don't speak only Russian, Ukrainian, and English. I've been alive for a long time, of course I learned different languages. I used to live in Europe after all. Now, what's this about Alison?"

Ivan and Katyusha were speechless, looking to each other for answers. They had a silent conversation in which they debated telling Alfred the truth. Katyusha won out finally, so Ivan frowned and turned to Alfred.

"When we were talking to Alison earlier, I noticed a few shared traits between her and you. Katyusha noticed it too, and we believe that Alison is...your mother." Alfred looked between them, expression blank. But then he smiled, doubly over in laughter like they'd just told the most hilarious joke he'd ever heard. When he straightened up, breathing heavy and tears in his eyes, he managed to say, "Good one, that really was a good one guys."

"Alfred please, this is not a joke."

"Come one guys, so what if we're similar? I'm sure other Angels have blond hair and blue eyes. It's not a special trait you know."

"I saw your smile in hers. The way you present yourself, it is very similar; too similar to be anything other than mother and son."

"No way guys, it's too...cliché, don't you think? The hero goes on a quest and meets a long lost family member. There's no way that Alison is my mother."

Ivan was going to reply if not for Katyusha's hand on his shoulder making him pause. He wasn't going to believe them without proof that she was undeniably his mother. But why he wouldn't want to accept it was beyond Ivan. Maybe it was because Alfred had never known his mother or where he'd come from, but for whatever reason Alfred didn't seem to care when evidence pointed straight to her.

Alison walked in then, holding a bag. "I've packed some things that might help us, if we need it. Also, I've been thinking and I believe it will be beneficial to have a Divine help us. I know a nice one who will be happy to; we go way back." She noticed the mood around them and glanced between them, settling on Katyusha. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no, just...anxious to get going." Katyusha too didn't understand fully why Alfred wasn't accepting the news. She thought he'd be ecstatic.

"We can meet her by the temple," Alison said, walking towards the door. Alfred offered to hold her bag for her and she kindly accepted, handing it over. Alfred followed behind her, Ivan and Katyusha following side by side behind Alfred.

After walking past familiar scenery, it became apparent quickly that the temple Alison had mentioned was the same one from Alfred's nightmare. He shuddered upon seeing it, slowly down a bit in a subconscious effort to stay away. Ivan gave him a little push forward. "Just remember," he whispered into Alfred's ear, hands rubbing soothingly over his shoulders, "Katyusha and I are here to assist. You'll be safe, I promise; I won't let anything happen to you."

Alfred took a deep breath and whispered back, "Thank you."

Though the sun still shone and the wind still made a light breeze, Alfred imagined storm clouds over the mountain, as already it looked big and ominous. The sun was blocked by the mountain's peak, so the entire temple was bathed in shadows. There was a weird sense of deja vu as he walked past the pillars. Images from his nightmare kept overlapping his reality. Pillars he'd seen destroyed in his dream were perfectly upright and it was making him feel uneasy. The undisturbed steps of the temple's entrance suddenly had a stain from what Alfred now believed was blood. Probably from a great battle, one that hadn't happened yet. Already he knew the inside was going to be so much worse.

He took another deep breath and followed Alison into the temple.

* * *

The library was quiet with only the sound of steady breathing filling the room. A clocked ticked on one side and the house creaked ominously.

Near the closed door, gold tendrils of energy materialized and began spinning in a circle, quickly becoming a blur of brilliant color before, with a curse and a stumble, a young looking man appeared. Mumbling to himself about magic and its absurd side effects, the man straightened out his clothing and observed his surroundings. Upon seeing the sleeping figures, he snorted and approached them.

"I swear, working my ass off and these two are sleeping?" He muttered. He picked up a pillow and threw it at the mage on the couch. "Wake up! I don't have all day!"

When that didn't work, he picked it up and hit him with it, multiple times. After no response, he infused the pillow with energy and tried one more time. The reaction was immediate and fitting.

The mage gasped awake and flailed, in the process falling off the couch. The older mage didn't so much as crack a smile at the sight, though he definitely felt the other deserved it for slacking off. He could have sworn he taught the younger man something in the years they studied together.

"Ow, bloody _hell_, what—Yao?"

Arthur stood up from the floor and looked around. Yao was standing in front of him, Francis continuing to sleep across from him, and no sign of Katyusha.

Katyusha.

That—That...bloody she-witch! She'd tricked him!

"Damn Demon," Arthur mumbled. Yao cleared his throat and crossed his arms. "Care to explain why my best student is slacking off at a time like this?"

"Slacking—No one is slacking off around here, Yao. It was that Demon, Katyusha. Trust me, I was prepared to stay up all night but she forced me asleep." He left out the part about her having reason to do so, as she was right about him needing sleep for the battle that was soon to come. Yao seemed unconvinced and Arthur knew it would take more than he was willing to give to convince him. "Look, just...forget, about that. Thank you for waking me." It was here he realized _Yao_ was standing across from him. "Ah, when did you get here?"

"Just now," Yao replied tersely. He sat down on the couch and motioned for Arthur to join him.

"I think I've discovered a way to help you. It has the potential to be risky but with our combined abilities and the...Demons you've involved, we should be able to come up with a suitable plan of safety."

Arthur stayed silent and gestured for Yao to continue. "At first I tried to think of how our own Heaven might help us. As you know it has not been home to Angels for hundreds of years. And Divines, as I discovered, will not have been able to stay there for long after the Angel's departure. Their very nature would have them rip Heaven to pieces for their own gain. And after they've had their way with Heaven, there would have been no way for them to stay there—if the Guardians hadn't already picked them off to begin with. So I wouldn't count on any Divines even being there at this point in time."

Oh no. This was sounding familiar. Arthur dreaded where this conversation was going. "...Yes, I entertained the thought as well."

"Very good. So I asked myself, 'How would I get to Heaven if I wanted to talk to Angels?' Of course I'd have to go back in time, wouldn't I? But that got me thinking. Going back in time is not a bad idea. It yields the best and most successful results out of any scenarios I thought about. But time travel alone is very difficult, you know that." Arthur nodded, feeling as though a lead weight dropped in his stomach. This was very bad.

"The answer was right in front of us the entire time. The forgotten realm. One in that realm has the...capability to travel to other worlds, even different times if they have power. It would not be so difficult to find a path to our own timeline and simply transport ourselves to our own past. That would provide us not only with the Angels Alfred needs but safety from danger as well. Only Demons can kill in that realm, and with our numbers and wide range of energy manipulation, plus two Demons, it would be easy to defend ourselves."

No. No no no no _no_. Arthur closed his eyes, damning the world. Alfred had been right. Alfred had been right and Arthur had outright rejected his plan. He felt bad; worse than bad, he felt terrible.

"What about Al? He resides in the realm itself, on its first plane no doubt. Surely that would complicate things?"

Yao waved the notion away. "Simple spells can hide our presence. You act as if we do not have skill with such things."

Arthur put his hand over his faced and wished he could turn back time to not act like such a damn fool. He'd been adamant about not following Alfred's plan because he thought it was too risky, but here Yao was telling him the plan would be simple. And coming from Yao it did sound simple. But Arthur should have trusted Alfred, should have been able to see what Yao had, what spells to use to help them, how they would have avoided Al. He felt...like a dick. There was no elegant way to say how badly he felt for treating Alfred like a little kid.

But Alfred's plan also had involved that other Ivan...who couldn't be trusted, right? Arthur had eyes, he could see how strongly Alfred felt for Ivan and vice versa. Was it really too much to think that an alternate version of them would feel the same about each other. He himself would do anything for Francis, he knew that. Maybe even ask the enemy for help.

"God, I've been a _fool_," Arthur said, standing up and pacing about. Yao watched him, surprised by his reaction. "What are you talking about? Did something happen?"

"Yes!" Arthur exclaimed, though hushed his voice when he remembered Francis was still sleeping. "You're not going to believe this, but Alfred thought up that exact plan."

"Then you have raised a smart boy," Yao said, in turn making Arthur feel worse.

"Yes but...I rejected it."

"You rejected it." There was a silence in which Yao stared at him and Arthur looked ashamed. "What were you thinking?"

"You have to understand Yao, Alfred is my son, I only want him to be safe! His plan to use the forgotten realm as a method of contacting Angels had a variable yours does not, one I'm not certain about. He's accepting help from the other Ivan."

Yao could admit that Alfred's plan, now that he knew all the parts to it, was more dangerous, but nothing they couldn't handle. Just by the way they interacted Yao could tell they'd do anything for each other, which baffled him because he'd learned his lesson in trusting Demons.

"So? I do not see a problem. If Alfred trusts him, you should respect his judgment. As I've said Alfred is a smart boy, and you a smart man. You do not need to trust those Alfred trusts, only in Alfred himself. All you would need to do is protect Alfred in the case he was being deceived."

God, would Yao ever stop making sense about everything? It was only serving to make Arthur feel worse.

"It seems I'm having the unfortunate luck of being wrong lately." Arthur shook his head.

"Perhaps not necessarily wrong, just...protective. It is understandable." Yao stood up and stopped Arthur's pacing with a hand on his shoulder. "You have come a long way from my student. That was when you were wrong a lot. Now is when you are wrong but have the mindset to amend your mistakes." He patted Arthur's shoulder. "I think I will take my leave now. If you need me, just call." He walked back over to where he'd appeared and used the same spell to return home in another flash of gold.

Arthur stood for a bit longer after Yao left before sitting in his origin seat on the couch. He hung his head and stared at the carpet before a voice jolted him out of his thoughts and nearly out of his skin.

"Yao is right though, you know."

Arthur looked up into Francis's smiling face. The werewolf had his head in his palm as he stared at Arthur. He tapped his ears at Arthur's questioning look. "Heightened senses."

"Of course," Arthur said. Just his luck Francis would end up hearing all that.

"Alfred is a very smart boy Arthur, you've raised him well. But it is only natural that you will feel protective of him and in turn disagree with him about a lot of choices he might make. I don't think you want to go through the Revolutionary War again, do you?" Arthur hated remembering that time, when he and Alfred had been so angry at each other it had escalated quickly into violence, though they couldn't bring themselves to hurt one another.

"No, of course I don't. He just won't understand that I only want his safety. I don't know what to do with him."

Francis stood up and walked over to sit down next to him. He turned Arthur towards him and just hugged him. He didn't speak, didn't let his hands wander, he just hugged him. Eventually Arthur reciprocated the hug, tightly wrapping his arms around Francis's upper back. Arthur wasn't the type of person to seek emotional comfort when angry or hurt, though sometimes it couldn't be helped. Clinging was also something he didn't do, but he trusted Francis wouldn't broadcast how tightly Arthur was hugging him to the world.

Francis pulled back(after a few tries)and looked Arthur straight in the eyes. "You need to trust him. Do you think it was easy for me to let Matthew go off by himself to hunt? No, it worried me constantly, like a parasite eating away at my mind. But each time Matthew would come back, safe and sound. He has proved himself to me many times. Now you need to let Alfred prove himself to you. But he can not do that if you don't give him the chance. It might hurt, but the look of pride on his face will be worth it, trust me."

"I do trust you, despite my better judgment at times," he quipped. Francis put his hand to his heart in mock hurt and Arthur chuckled. "In the morning," he promised, "I'll talk to Alfred."

"That is all I can ask of you now."

* * *

**Hm, is Arthur going to be mad when he finds out Alfred went behind his back? I just don't know. And I know, character death is so hard sometimes, but yes, more than one person is going to die. One for sure, the other two I'm planning I'm not sure about yet.**


End file.
